What Happens In Vegas
by Detective Olivia Stabler
Summary: Elliot and Olivia are sent to Las Vegas for a boring convention. What kind of trouble can our favorite two detectives possibly get into? Even more important, how the Hell will they get out of it?
1. 1 Glutton For Punishment

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter One: Glutton For Punishment) _

Elliot and Olivia sat side by side in Cragen's office waiting for him to come in and yell at them. Elliot stared at the floor as Olivia bit her bottom lip nervously, they had really done it this time. Together during a little verbal dispute between them they had managed to let a suspect get past them during a stake out. A suspect who was on his way to raping a sixth victim.

Their argument was over the latest man Olivia had chosen to have a relationship with and the fact that Elliot, in feeling the man was not good enough for her, had chased him off like he had done with so many other guys before. He was over protective of her. And while this was sometimes a good quality, it was starting to piss her off. Since his divorce had finally gone through six months earlier Elliot had dated no one. He was miserable and at this rate he was determine to keep her that way as well.

"This is all your fault," she scoffed looking at the wall still feeling hurt and pissed off that he had chased off her chance for happiness.

"Olivia, don't start! The guy was an ass!"

"You're an ass! An ass who needs to learn to mind his own damn business!"

Elliot turned to look at her. "Look, you would have dated this guy and he would have treated you badly. The when it went bad you would have gotten hurt. I just prevented that. I would think you would be grateful."

"Elliot, how can I have the chance to get hurt if you never let me have a relationship?"

"Olivia, trust me I was right about this guy."

She exhaled and stared at him. "Shouldn't it be my decision who I date?"

"Yes. To some extent."

"Some extent?"

"Well, when you pick guys like that someone has to intervene. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't keep someone from hurting you?"

"How would you know he would hurt me?" She raised her eyes and her look quickly turned to a glare. "You didn't!"

"What?"

"You did!"

Elliot tried not to look guilty as he shook his head.

"You ran a back ground check on him?"

"I..I…Yes. But I did it to make sure he was good for you. And trust me, you should be glad I did."

Olivia slapped him.

"No, I'm not happy. You ruined what could have been a great relationship with a wonderful man!"

"Where have you been through this entire conversation, Olivia? He was not a wonderful man! He was a skeezy liar!"

"Like someone else I know," she shouted glaring at him.

"He was married, Olivia! Married with children!"

"It was still none of your business," she said softly partly in shock of what he had just told her. "You did this behind his back, Elliot. Behind my back."

"I had a bad feeling. I couldn't let him hurt you. So I made him leave."

She exhaled. "Elliot…."

Just then the door flew opened as a pissed off Cragen stepped inside and it slammed shut again.

"Are you two finished?" He growled at them.

"Captain…." Elliot began.

"Sit down and shut up," Cragen demanded cutting him off. "I don't want excuses. I don't want apologies. I just want you two to know that because of your little disagreement during our steak out our suspect is still at large and has now claimed another victim. And you two are going to do whatever it takes to make this right! I want you to talk to her, get every detail you can and find this guy so that we can get him into custody."

"We will," Olivia said with a nod of her head.

"You're damn right you will. And don't think for a second that I am finished with you two! Get out there and get some work done!"

They stumbled out the door grabbing their jackets before they headed for the car to go interview their victim.

Over the next few days they managed to track down the suspect and bring him in. They tied up the case in a neat little package, but neither of them were ever able to forget about the victim. The one who would have never been a victim, if they had been focused on their job and not the matters of their personal life. That guilt had now become a part of them and it would always be there, deep inside somewhere.

Now, three weeks later they sat here in the same seats waiting once more to speak with Cragen.

"Do you have any idea what we are in for this time?" Elliot asked.

"Nope." Olivia replied.

Cragen entered and sat behind his desk as he looked at a file on his computer. Olivia looked at Elliot as he glanced back at her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Captain?" He asked.

"Yes, Elliot."

"We were just wondering what it was you wanted to speak to us about."

"Ahh, yes." Cragen leaned forward handing them each a plane ticket.

"What is this?" Olivia asked looking confused.

"Do you remember when we had our little talk about that case you two botched a few weeks back. I said I wasn't finished with you two. Consider this your punishment."

Olivia opened the envelope the ticket was in to find a ticket on a flight to Las Vegas.

"Our punishment?" She asked.

Elliot looked down at his ticket.

"No," he said shaking his head.

Olivia looked confused.

"The conference," he replied.

"That's right Detective Stabler. This year it will be the two of you who will have the honor of representing our precinct."

"I thought they always sent the big shots from downstairs."

"This year they wanted to send someone from Special Victims. They thought we could use the training. It was going to be John Munch and I who got stuck with the detail. The two of you graciously volunteered when you screwed up that investigation a few weeks ago. The arrangements have already been made. Your flight leaves in the morning. I suggest you go home and get packed."

Olivia climbed into the car and watched as Elliot got in and slammed the door.

"Okay, I'm confused. What is so bad? I know it is a conference, but it is two days in Las Vegas, how bad could it be?"

"Oh, it's bad. It is two days of the longest, most boring lectures you have ever heard. It is like two days of never ending Hell. I was supposed to have my kids this weekend."

"Well, the conference is over Friday evening. You could still have the kids on Saturday."

"No, our return flight isn't until Sunday morning. Kathy is going to kill me."

"Will she let you switch weekends?"

"I don't know. But it's going to piss her off. And there is no way Cragen is going to let me out of this."

"If this conference is a bad as you say it is, there is no way I am going to let you out of this."

Elliot pulled the car up in front of Olivia's apartment building.

"I'll pick you up at seven, our flight is at eight."

"See you then," she said as she closed the car door. Elliot watched her as she climbed the stairs in front of the building. He waited until she was safely inside before he pulled away and headed home to call his ex-wife and break the news to her.

The next morning Olivia had her suitcase sitting next to the door ready to go. She climbed into the shower then slipped into a pair of jeans and a comfortable tee shirt for the flight. She finished off the last few drops of her coffee just as her phone chimed. She picked it up to read a text from Elliot telling her he was out front and ready to go. She tucked her phone into her purse as she slipped the strap over her shoulder, grabbed the handle of her suitcase and was out the door.

She grabbed them both coffee from a Starbucks in the airport as Elliot checked their luggage. They sat in some chairs and shared conversation as they waited to board their flight. The plane didn't take off until quarter after ten. It was Wednesday morning and their conference started Thursday morning.

That evening they met up for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Elliot moped around still pissed off that he even had to be here as Olivia was more occupied with the fact that their work had just paid to fly them to Vegas. She was going to get at least a little fun out of this weekend.

"I was thinking about going down to the casino for a few hours, you up for it?" She asked in an attempt to remove the pissy look from his face.

"I'm thinking shower and bed. I just want to get this weekend over with."

"Elliot, come on. We might as well make the best of it. Here," she said handing a hundred dollar bill. "Join me. Just a few hours. Besides the drinks are free."

"Olivia, I don't want your money." He pushed the bill back across the table.

"Really, it's okay." She pushed it back to him. "But, if you win big you have to split it with me." She smiled at him and he couldn't tell her no.

"Two hours, then it is off to bed. Both of us. We have to get up early for this stupid conference and be tortured all day. We need our rest so we don't fall asleep tomorrow. I don't want to know what other bad things Cragen will dream up to punish us if we manage to get into trouble here and they report it back to him."

Olivia laughed.

"Come on," she took him by the arm and lead him to the casino downstairs.

The next two days were long and painful. And Elliot was right, their main goal for each day was to keep each other awake. Friday night they had dinner together once more and a few more hours gambling then off to bed. It was amazing how two days of lectures could completely wear you out.

Saturday evening they decided to go out and check out a bar near by. Olivia slipped on a black mini dress and fixed her hair and make up. She was not above one of those infamous _what happens in Vegas_ one night stands tonight. It had been way too long and she was out to have a little fun tonight. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pressed her lips together as she headed for the door. She walked down the hall to the next room and knocked on Elliot's door.

He opened the door wearing nothing but a towel.

"You're kidding me! You are not ready yet?"

"Kathy called and we had to argue for two hours about me taking the kids next weekend. I think she finally gave in. I will only be a minute. You look fantastic, by the way," he called to her as he walked back toward the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth.

"Is this what you are wearing?" She called to him looking down at his usual blue suit and tie.

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. If you're going to church," she mumbled.

She made her way to the closet of his suite and riffled through his clothing. She picked up a pair of black slacks and a white button down shirt. She tossed them on the bed and changed out his black pinstriped tie for a cornflower blue one. Then selected a black pinstriped jacket that was slightly less formal than the blue on he had picked out. She laid out the clothing on the bed and stepped back to get a look at the outfit put together.

"Much better," she said with a smile as he entered the room behind her in his boxer shorts and tee shirt.

"You didn't like what I had?"

"Trust me, this is better."

"It is, huh?"

"Umm hmm."

"Okay," he said as he picked up the pants from the bed.

Though he didn't seem shy to dress in front of her and this was not the first time she had seen him in his boxers she walked over to stare out the window as he dressed behind her. After a few minutes she caught herself watching his reflection in the glass and pulled the curtains shut.

"There," he said as she turned around.

"Let me fix your tie," she said as she tried to straighten the mess he had made with it.

"You don't think the blue tie is too much?"

"It brings out the blue of your eyes and adds just a bit of color to your outfit. It is perfect. You'll have your pick of any woman in the club."

"Club?"

Olivia pressed her lips together again and avoided eye contact.

"You said it was a bar."

"It is a bar…club thing. Oh, come on, Elliot. Please? Don't back out on me."

"I'm not a club person, Liv."

"Well, neither am I."

"I don't even dance. I can't."

"I wont make you dance, I promise. I just want to go somewhere and do something, anything. We never get to do anything back in New York. Besides, maybe we will find you a woman."

"Now, see. I knew you were up to something. I'm not looking."

"Elliot, you have been not looking for over twenty years. And single for six months. I think maybe it is time you looked. Besides it will be good practice for back home."

"You're trying to pimp me out?"

"I'm trying to hook you up."

"Hook me up?"

She leaned in against his ear. "Get you laid," she whispered with a smile.

"Oh no."

"What? I just want you to meet someone, what you do with her is totally up to you. But you know, if you don't start using that thing it is liable to fall off."

"Liv…."

"Relax, I'm not going to let you go home with someone who is wrong for you."

"I don't plan on going home with anyone."

"Well, yeah. But what happens in Vegas…"

"You are so bad."

"You will thank me later."

"So you're really going out tonight just to find me a one night stand?"

"Well, I never said I wasn't looking myself."

"You think you are going to find Mr. Right here?"

"Maybe Mr. Tonight."

"And you are going to make me sit and watch this?"

She smiled a guilty smile.

"Okay, I will make you a deal."

"What is that?"

"Well, you are always saying that I pick the worst men. Then you run them off and blah, blah, blah. Tonight, you pick the guy. But I have a few standards. And I reserve the right to say no. Kind of a trial, to see if you can pick guys who are better for me than the ones I choose."

"You want me to pick out a guy for you to spend the night with?"

"I might not take it that far. But it has been four…"

Elliot placed his hand over her mouth.

"I really don't need to know."

Olivia smiled.

"What? I know. Six months since your divorce went through and it was the week before that."

Elliot looked at her.

"You don't always think that I listen to what you are saying, but I do. I just don't always react to it."

"Okay so I get to pick the guy. What's the catch?"

"I get to pick out a woman for you. My ideal woman for you."

"How bad could that be? Deal." Elliot smiled at her as he slipped on his jacket and they walked toward the elevator.


	2. 2 The Morning After

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Two: The Morning After)_

That evening they found themselves sitting at a table with their perspective mates for the evening. Olivia sat at a small table across form a guy named Brandt. Who looks wise wasn't all that bad. He seemed to be really nice but was forward about the fact that he was here to pick up women. She was determine to give it a real shot and show Elliot that she respected his choice. But this man just kept talking about his friends and work and his mother and would not shut up.

The only thing she had said all evening was her own name. He was attractive, she would give Elliot credit for that, but the entire time he spoke to her he stared down the top of her dress. She couldn't even see him being an option for tonight. Olivia exhaled and placed her chin against her palm trying to act interested in the conversation, really she was bored out of her mind.

Elliot, however was completely intrigued by Susan. The woman Olivia had met at the bar and introduced him to. She was a pretty brunette with long legs and a nice smile. She seemed really sweet and smart.

But Elliot was too worried about how things were going with Olivia to focus on the woman in front of him. She talked about a farm she grew up on in Oklahoma and the horses her family raised back there. But Elliot only heard every other word.

Olivia ordered another drink. She could feel her buzz getting strong, but she was going to need it tonight. This man reminded her of one of the speakers from the conference the day before. Much more attractive, but just about as interesting. She quickly finished off her drink and ordered another.

Even drunk, she couldn't see herself inviting this idiot back to her room for sex. Although, bad sex with an idiot was still sex and more than she had experienced in four….no five months. If her sex life kept going this way she would have to seriously consider purchasing a vibrator.

Olivia tilted her head for a second to consider the idea. Nah, something about being intimate with a piece of plastic just creeped her out. Besides a vibrator couldn't hold you afterward. And as much as she wanted the sex, she craved the strong arms around her and a warm body next to her. She ordered another drink, she was at least getting a good buzz tonight. She looked over at Elliot and his date and smiled as he caught her staring in his direction. Olivia noticed the row of empty beer bottles in front of him and wondered if he wasn't having the same problem.

Elliot ordered another beer, about his eighth that evening. It was making him nervous not being able to hear what was being said at Olivia's table or at least know for sure if she was really going to take this guy back to her room and…. He picked up his beer bottle and drank almost the entire contents in one drink. He didn't even care what the woman in front of him was saying anymore. He hadn't been listening for well over an hour now. Beer wasn't cutting it, he needed something stronger.

Elliot excused himself and moved toward the bar. He ordered a scotch on the rocks and drank it as fast as he could. What the hell had he done. He actually found a guy for Olivia to take back to her hotel room and have sex with. He tapped his fingers on the bar as the bartended brought him another drink.

"Give me two," he said as the man sat the glass on the counter.

The bartender nodded as Elliot slammed back his head and finished the drink. He sat the empty glass on the bar and picked up the full one. He was about to bring it to his lips when he saw her sit down beside him at the bar.

"Not going so hot, huh?"

Elliot turned his head to look at Olivia. He just watched her for a minute.

"You can say it, this was a stupid idea."

"Your date that bad, too?" He asked.

"I just finally couldn't take it anymore. Looks like your date liked him, though." She motioned over her shoulder and Elliot turned to watch Brandt escort Susan out of the bar.

"He can have her."

Olivia laughed and ordered another drink.

They sat at the bar for the next three hours talking and drinking so much that they had long lost track of what had been consumed. Before long that had discussed their sex lives, sex horror stories, where his marriage went wrong, her horrible taste in men and his lack of interest in dating again.

Before long they found themselves doing shots of tequila and she had dragged him out onto the dance floor. So much for her promise not to make him dance. By now they were both so drunk neither of them really cared what they looked like _trying _to dance among the two hundred other drunks on the floor. They would dance for a while then go back to the bar for another shot or two and then back out on the dance floor.

A few hours later the bar closed down and they climbed into a cab to head back to their hotel. The rest of the night was a blur and it was nearing five thirty in the morning and the sun was beginning to rise as Olivia finally collapsed across her bed unconscious.

At eight o'clock the front desk called up with her wake up call. Their flight left at ten and she felt like shit. She sat up and put her feet onto the carpet as she combed her fingers through her hair. She was in for one hell of a hang over.

She stood up and stumbled to the bathroom dropping her tee shirt and boxers along the way and climbed into the shower. She stood under the hot water until it ran cold, then rinsed the shampoo from her hair and wrapped herself in a towel.

She walked back across the hotel room and drew open the drapes then turned around to open her suitcase on the bed. As she did she noticed something strange and cocked her head to one side to allow her drunk and tired eyes to focus on it. _It _was a leg. More importantly a man's leg, hanging out from under the blankets on the bed. She stared at the stranger for a minute then laughed a little to herself. She couldn't believe she had actually gone through with it. The part that sucked was that she couldn't even remember it.

"I hope it was good," she whispered as she picked up her clothes from the floor beside the bed. She walked across the room and unzipped her suitcase and pulled out a pair of baggy running pants and a tank top and hoodie. She felt like shit and really didn't care what she looked like today. She pulled her clothes on and pulled her wet hair up in a pony tail.

She buzzed around the room tossing her things into the suitcase. She looked down into it just before zipping it up to see if anything was missing. She wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion as she pulled Elliot's cornflower blue tie from the ball of black dress and lacy underwear she had picked up from the floor beside the bed. She raised her eyes to stare at the stranger in the mirror, this time noticing his jacket crumpled in the floor beside the bed.

"Oh my God!" She almost yelled out as she was finally able to realize what must have happened last night.

She reached into the floor between her feet and picked up a man's shoe…Elliot's shoe.

"Get up!" She yelled as she threw the shoe at him and kicked the bottom of the bed.

The shoe made contact with the back of his head and made a loud slapping sound as it did. She didn't mean to hurt him, she just prayed somehow that the naked man that stood up from the bed wasn't her partner. But today, she couldn't get that lucky.

Elliot came flying up from the bed completely naked and Olivia covered her eyes with her hand.

"What the Hell happened last night?" She demanded as he squinted his eyes to try and focus on the woman across the room.

Elliot rubbed his hands over his face then realized he was naked quickly moving his hands to cover his….area. His eyes began to scan the room for his underwear before finding them across the room near the bathroom door.

"Can you toss me those boxers?" He said still kind of unsure what was going on.

Olivia opened her eyes and looked at the boxer shorts she had pulled off on her way to the shower that morning.

"Great," she mumbled to herself as she picked them up and tossed them on the bed in front of him. Seeing only for a second her naked partner now holding the sheet from the bed around his waist.

She turned around and faced the wall as he dropped the sheet to get dressed. It was only a few seconds later that Olivia realized she could see everything in the mirror across the room. She didn't mean to watch him, she was trying not to. It just sort of happened.

"Our flight leaves in an hour," she said closing her eyes as he pulled up his pants.

"Okay," he said as she turned around to look at him.

Elliot sat on the edge of the bed to put his shoes on. She went to her purse and popped a hand full of aspirin into her mouth washing them down with a four dollar bottle of water from the mini fridge. She dumped out four more and handed them to Elliot.

"Here, I have a feeling you're going to need them," she said as he took them and she handed him the bottle of water.

She sat on the end of the bed and rubbed her hands over her face.

Elliot looked up at her.

"Do you really think that we…"

"I did. I can tell. So I would say, yes considering you woke up naked in my bed."

"God, my head is killing me," he said rubbing it in the exact spot she had hit him with the shoe.

"Sorry about that, I kind of panicked."

"I can't say that I blame you."

"We'd better get going or we'll miss our flight. I'm gonna run next door and pack up my stuff. Why don't you call a cab and I will meet you in the lobby in ten minutes?"

"Okay."

She looked at him with a worried look. For this moment they were both avoiding thinking or talking about last night.

When Elliot found her in the lobby she was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and rubbing her temple with her fingers.

"You're head pounding too, huh?"

"Yeah, of course we have to fly and we're both hung over."

"Or we could rent a car and drive, but that will just take forever and neither of us feel like driving. At least on a plane we can try to sleep."

"Right, let's go. I just want to crawl into my bed and sleep it off." She exhaled and picked up her bag as they walked toward the cab.

About forty five minutes into the flight Olivia woke up with her head leaned on Elliot's shoulder. She felt nauseated and the guy in front of them smelled of strong cigar smoke. It was about to make her sick. She looked over at Elliot, asleep with his head leaned against the side of the plane. She smiled and headed for the bathroom.

Inside Olivia splashed water on her face in an attempt to ward off the nausea. It didn't work. Within moments she found herself leaned over the toilet in the small compartment vomiting profusely. Afterward she sat on the floor and leaned back against the wall trying to remind herself to breathe. She flushed the toilet and stood up digging a tooth brush from her purse and brushing her teeth. She returned to her seat and asked the flight attendant for a bottle of water and some aspirin. Actually she felt much better, now.

Olivia twisted the cap back onto her water bottle and reached to sit it on the fold down table in front of her, that was when she noticed _it._

"Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Elliot, wake up!" She hit him in the ribs with her elbow.

"What?" He groaned.

"What is that?" She said looking at him.

"Huh?"

"That," she said pointing at his hand. "This," she said raising hers.

"Oh, shit!" He said as he sat upright in his seat and jerked her hand closer to look at it.

Olivia stared at him with tears in her eyes.

"What the hell happened last night?" She asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Elliot replied staring down at the tiny diamond ring on her left hand ring finger. He looked back at his hand to see a thin gold band in the place he once wore his wedding band from Kathy. He looked back at Olivia. "I think we got married last night."

"We got married last night?" She asked nervously.

Elliot held her hand up to inspect it.

"We got married last night."

"Well, congratulations!" The flight attendant said from behind them. "Why don't I bring you a complementary drink?"

"No!" The both said at the same time almost shouting at the woman.

"I mean, that is not necessary, thank you." Elliot replied.

The woman gave him a strange look then turned and walked away.

"Elliot, do you remember anything?"

"I remember getting hit in the head with my shoe this morning. Everything before and after that is kind of a blur."

Olivia exhaled and stared straight ahead for a moment. Elliot looked up to see tears begin to roll from under her sunglasses.

"Hey, we'll get this mix up straightened out when we get back to New York."

She took a staggered breath and nodded her head.

"Come on, don't cry." He hated to see her cry.

Elliot reached up and brushed the tears from her cheeks. He slid off her glasses and stared into her pretty brown eyes.

"It will be okay."

He cupped his hand on the side of her face and pulled her forehead against his.

"It's just me, there is nothing to be afraid of. I am sure this happens all of the time."

"I just wish I could rememb…."

Elliot watched her for a moment as she rubbed her hand over her face.

"You remember something?"

"The elevator…. A lot of kissing in the elevator."

Elliot leaned back in his seat and thought about it for a few minutes. He held his hand in hers and rubbed his fingers between hers. He took a deep breath and turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Liv, that is not all that happened in the elevator."

She shook her head in disbelief.

"What do you remember?"

"Us kissing, making out. The elevator doors opened and we stumbled inside. We pulled the elevator stop button between floors and I am pretty sure had hot sex up against the wall to the Bee Gee's music."

"Bee Gee's music?" She had a confused look on her face.

"_How deep is your love _to be specific."

"Oh, my God. That is disgusting!"

"I don't remember you complaining last night."

"How are you sure we had sex in the elevator? Maybe we just kissed a lot."

"No, I remember pulling your black lacy panties off and raising you against the wall. And you moaning against my ear."

Olivia rubbed her hand over her face a little embarrassed that he could remember things that she couldn't.

"That's enough. I…I don't want to hear anymore. Not right now."

"Liv, we did what a lot of people do in Las Vegas. We got wasted and had sex and woke up married. We can get out of this. We'll just have it annulled when we get back to New York. And no one will even have to know."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Elliot cupped his hand against the side of her face and pulled her head to rest on his shoulder once more.

"Try to get some rest, we'll be back home soon. And we'll sit down and figure out what we want to do about this mess."

Olivia closed her eyes and tried not to think about any of it. Her head was pounding and if she didn't fall asleep soon she was liable to be sick again. Before long she had drifted off to sleep with her head against the shoulder of her husband.


	3. 3 One Night In Vegas

_**What Happens In Vegas**_

_**(Chapter Three: One Night In Vegas….)**_

**Olivia giggled as she felt his hands on her waist guiding her, moving with her on the dance floor. Neither of them really knew what they were doing, but they closed their eyes and moved their bodies to the beat of the music. She smoothed her hand down the curves of her body until it landed on top of his. She locked her fingers in his and shot a seductive look over her shoulder at him as she lead him across the room to the bar. **

**There they did shots of tequila, one after another until six empty shot glasses lined the bar in front of them. She pulled the lime peel from her mouth and laid it on a cocktail napkin beside her empty glass.**

"**Come on," she said with a smile as she reached for his hand. **

**Back to the dance floor. Their bodies closer than they had ever been. Moving right against each other. She raised her hands in the air and spun in a circle with her eyes closed. If felt like a dream, everything in the room around them spinning and the music. Sexy people moving and dancing against each other. The heat of two hundred or so bodies packed into a small club. Everything about this night heightened all of their senses. **

**Olivia felt two strong hands moving up her legs and opened her eyes just as they reached the edge of her short skirt. She moaned a soft but uncontrollable moan as she turned her head to look over her shoulder. But the man she was not who she had expected. A blonde headed stranger had slipped in between she and Elliot and he was not so subtly putting the moves on her. **

**She raised an eyebrow in disapproval and turned to continue dancing as she made her way back to the bar. Before she knew it the man was standing beside her and had leaned in to whisper in her ear. His breath was hot and tickled as it brushed against her skin. His voice deep and confident.**

"**I've been watching you all night," he whispered. **

**Olivia stared ahead at the mirror behind the bar. She had past tipsy hours ago and was now beyond just plane intoxicated as well. So she now found herself standing here trying hard to think of a way to blow him off when normally she would have already thrown some witty comment in his direction and walked off in the other direction.**

"**I'm really feeling you," he said placing a wet kiss against the side of her neck, "and I know you're feeling me, too."**

**Olivia laughed in amusement. She could not believe this man was actually saying this crap to her. She felt his fingertips against the skin of her back. She turned away from him as she watched his hand drop beside him. **

"**You have been watching me all night, huh?"**

"**Oh yeah. I was thinking maybe you and I could go back to my room. Order some Champagne and talk." He moved his hand down the bare skin of her back and onto her ass. "Or whatever."**

**Olivia smiled for a moment and he smiled back.**

"**You watched me all night? Out of all of the women here? You have been watching me?"**

"**Only you."**

"**And you didn't happen to notice that I was here with someone?" She leaned into the bar and laid her chin against her hand batting her eyes at him and smiling.**

"**You are?"**

"**Yes, I am."**

"**Well," he replied looking around the room, "I don't see anyone now."**

"**Well then, you are not looking hard enough," Elliot said as he slid his hands around her waist and kissed her cheek softly.**

"**Two tequila's," he said nodding his head at the bartender. He shifted his eyes back to the blonde headed stranger.**

"**I'm sorry man. I didn't mean to hit on your girl."**

"**Don't apologize to me, apologize to her."**

"**For what?"**

"**For putting you hands all over her. Show a little respect for a lady. You don't put your hands all over a woman that you don't even know. Didn't your mother teach you anything?"**

"**I'm sorry ma'am," the man stuttered as he backed away into the crowd and disappeared. **

**Olivia laughed.**

"**Thank you," she said smiling back at Elliot.**

"**No problem. I saw him on the dance floor. My first instinct was to knock him out, but I figured I would wait and see if you had it under control. Then he followed you over here and had his hands all over you again. I held off until I was sure it was unwanted contact. Then I stepped in."**

**Olivia smiled at him.**

**The bartended lined up two shot glasses and they emptied them. Two more shots and Elliot lead her back to the dance floor with one hand on the small of her back. Olivia slipped her arms around his neck as they danced together staring deep into each others eyes. She raised her arms over her head and Elliot moved his hands up locking his fingers in hers. She turned around and he pulled her in against him as they danced.**

**Later that night the club doors flew open and Olivia felt the burn of the flesh on her back as it slammed up against the wall in the lobby as he pressed his lips to hers. **

**Back at their hotel, they kissed passionately, hungrily and his hands explored the soft curves of her body. They heard the chime of the elevator as the doors opened and they stumbled inside, their mouths still locked together.**

**By this point hormones had completely taken over and all logic had stepped out for the evening. Elliot turned her around and slammed her back against the elevator wall as he tipped her head to the side and bit and kissed on her neck. He reached with one hand hitting a few buttons without even looking, hoping somehow that they would just find themselves on their floor. The elevator music was soft and flowing, some seventies music he remembered from long ago. But the only sounds that mattered were the ones she made as he rounded second base and headed for home.**

**Olivia gasped and moaned and kissed him back as she grasped his belt buckle and frantically pulled at it until his slacks crashed to the floor at his feet. Elliot brushed his thumb against the side of her face and stared into her eyes as they kissed. He felt the jolt of the elevator as it climbed its way to the twelfth floor. He broke their embrace just long enough to pull the emergency stop knob causing the elevator to stop between floors. **

**The lights flickered for a moment, then came back on. In the few seconds of darkness Elliot had slipped his hand under her short skirt and removed her black lace panties. He now clutched them in one hand as it propped his weight against the wall of the elevator. The other arm was under the curve of her hip holding her up and on to him. One of her arms rested on his shoulder next to his neck as the clawed at his back through his shirt. **

**Elliot thrust in a strong and even pace inside her as he crashed his mouth to hers. He kissed and sucked under her chin causing a giggle and another moan, then a gasp for air. He pressed his forehead to hers and she raised her mouth meet his again. When they had both finished Elliot stared into her eyes. He brushed his nose against hers and kissed her gently as he lowered her back to the ground. **

**Elliot kissed her passionately as he slipped her panties back into her hand. Olivia laughed and closed her eyes as he continued to kiss under her chin. As he did she slipped her panties back on and adjusted her dress. Elliot kissed her shoulder and leaned down to pull his slacks back up fastening his belt buckle once more. He smoothed his hand up her long leg and leaned in to kiss her again as he pushed to knob back in to start the elevator's climb once more.**

**Someone some where must had been waiting at some point because the door opened on some floor between the first floor where they had began their adventure and the twelfth floor where their rooms were, because the doors opened and they stumbled out into another lobby.**

**They staggered around holding hands and kissing on each other, stopping every few feet to bump up against the wall and make out for a few minutes. Then they were off again. Wandering aimlessly around this floor trying to figure out where they were. On this floor was a gym with an indoor swimming pool, another casino, another restaurant and a twenty four hour wedding chapel. **

**This they had actually found by mistake while looking for the restroom. Olivia stood for a moment looking at the pictures of the couples on the walls. She felt Elliot's hand as he smoothed it up her back and placed baby kissed against the back of her neck sending a shiver up her spine.**

**He kissed her as her bottom lip quivered just a little and he slipped his jacket over her shoulders.**

"**Can I help you?" A woman asked as she walked out of a room in the back.**

"**Oh, we're just looking," Olivia answered.**

"**Are you sure? We have a great special running right now. The complete package. It includes the standard fifteen minute ceremony, bouquet, garter, rings and ten photo's for two hundred dollars." **

"**Rings?" Elliot asked almost amazed that a place like this had jewelry.**

"**Oh yes. We have three sets to choose from for this package. Real gold," the woman lead them to a makeshift jewelry counter as she pulled out three jewelry boxes with his and hers wedding bands. "Nice, huh?"**

"**There are no diamonds," Elliot replied. "What is a wedding without a diamond?" He asked looking at Olivia. "The diamond symbolizes the promise for the future."**

**Olivia smiled as she felt her heart flutter at his sweet words.**

"**We have diamonds also, but they are at an additional cost." The woman placed the ring boxes back into the case and locked it as she moved over to another counter and unlocked it pulling out two boxes and bringing them to Elliot and Olivia. "This one is a quarter carat diamond set in a sterling silver band, the set is one hundred and eighty dollars. **

**Elliot stared down at it and looked up at Olivia with a look of disapproval. She raised one eyebrow, playing along with his little game. **

"**What do you think honey?" She asked with a smile.**

"**I was thinking something bigger."**

"**Bigger would be nice," she replied looking back at him with a smile. **

**The woman took the ring set back to the case and brought out the second set. **

"**Okay, we just got these in. This set is a little higher, but much better quality. She opened the box and held it up in the light. "Half carat diamond bridal set in ten carat white gold."**

**Elliot held the ring up and they watched as the small stone glittered and sparkled in the light. **

"**Much better. How much?"**

"**Sir, you cannot put a price on true love."**

**Olivia bit her tongue trying not to laugh.**

"**How much?"**

"**I'll tell you what. I like you two. I will cut you a deal. But if my boss finds out he will kill me."**

**Elliot leaned in toward the woman. "You're secret is safe with me."**

"**Both ladies rings and the matching men's band for three hundred."**

**Elliot stared back at her for a minute.**

"**You know you are not going to get a better deal anywhere in town." **

**He held the ring up in the light once more.**

"**Try it on and see how it looks," the woman suggested.**

**Elliot turned to Olivia and before she could hesitate he had slipped the ring onto her finger. He opened her hand and held it up in the light.**

"**Beautiful," he said winking at her.**

**Olivia smiled back at him.**

"**It's a perfect fit," the woman pointed out.**

"**It is," Elliot agreed. "This is the one we want," Elliot said with a proud smile as the woman reached into the counter and pulled out the matching man's ring handing it to him. **

**Olivia smiled holding in another laugh, she wasn't quite sure what he was up to but the woman was falling for it hook, line and sinker.**

**The next thing she knew she stood staring into his eyes with a smile across her face as she repeated the words the woman said. Elliot smiled and brushed his thumb down the side of her face as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. He slipped his arms tight around her waist as Olivia buried her face against the collar of his shirt and giggled. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of him. **

**Olivia felt a jerk and raised her head as she opened her eyes. Elliot slipped his hand into hers and held it between his for a minute. She shifted her eyes to stare into his and exhaled deeply.**

"**It's okay. We're landing," he said as he squeezed her hand.**

**She looked down at their hands locked together and their wedding rings side by side. The entire thing seemed like a big joke at the time. She wasn't sure exactly how they didn't think it was real. Or how somehow last night, it didn't matter.**

**But here they were. Sitting side by side on a plane, descending back into New York, husband and wife. Olivia took a deep breath and looked back at him. She stared into his eyes for a moment, then her eyes shifted to his lips, his mouth. The same mouth that he hadn't been able to break apart from hers the night before, but for seconds only to repeat the few words that sealed their union as man and wife. The were in one Hell of a lot of trouble. But part of her couldn't help but be swept up in the spontaneous romance of the entire event.**

**She loved him, of course. He was her best friend and partner. But she didn't love him like that. Or did she? Possibly for that moment, that one brief second as the words rolled so freely from her lips, did her heart believe it was true. **

"**Are you okay?" Elliot asked as she shifted her eyes back to his once more.**

"**Yeah," she said softly reaching beside her to pick up her purse. She unzipped it to dig for her gum. But what she found meant so much more. An unmarked envelope she had picked up this morning from the dresser in her hotel room and tossed into her bag while packing. Olivia flipped it over and slid her fingertip under the flap opening it. Inside were ten four by six photographs from their wedding the night before.**

**Olivia flipped through the photographs. They both looked so happy and so believably in love. She took a staggered breath as tears began to fall from her eyes. **

"**Liv, what's wrong?" Elliot whispered as she handed him the stack of photos.**

**She rubbed her hands over her face wiping away the tears. Elliot slipped his hand into hers again and kissed her forehead. **

**He leaned back in his seat to stare at a picture of the two of them together. He was standing behind her with his arms around her. His fingers were locked in hers as he held her tight. Olivia had her head tipped back to look at him over her shoulder and it appeared neither of them know the picture was even being taken. They both had smiles on their faces as they stared into each other's eyes.**

"**We look so happy," he said softly.**

"**Elliot, it was a mistake."**

"**Yeah," he nodded in agreement as he looked at the next picture.**

**Close to the same pose as the last, only she had leaned her forehead in against his neck as he held her. They looked like they were made to fit together. And she looked so beautiful. **

**Elliot slid the pictures back into a pile and handed them to her. She held them for a second unsure of what to do with them at first. She slipped them back into the envelope and put them back into her purse for the time being. **

**She looked back up at Elliot as he stared out the window trying to hide his foggy eyes. But she knew he was about to cry. She watched as he tried hard to swallow the knot in his throat.**

**Before long the plane was unloading, then they were seated side by side in the car on the way back to her apartment. Not a word was said. And the silence was killing them both. But neither of them knew what to say to make the situation any better.**

**Elliot pulled up in front of her building and carried her bag into the apartment for her. He sat it in the floor beside the couch and stood there for a moment staring into her eyes.**

"**I guess I will see you at work tomorrow," he said as he slid his fingers through hers and they felt their rings click together as their fingers broke apart.**

"**Okay," she answered trying not to cry. Part of her didn't want him to go, but she was afraid of what might happen if she let him stay.**

**Elliot leaned forward and brushed his thumb down the side of her face and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then he kissed her on the forehead and turned to go.**

**Olivia stood there trembling, tears streaming down her face as her husband walked out of her apartment. She leaned against the door and cried. She wasn't sure exactly why. But she had so much emotion running through her body at once it seemed that was all she could do. She was happy and sad and afraid and uncertain. And more than anything at this moment she just wished she had his arms around her to hold her tight and let her know that everything was going to be okay.**

**She took a hot shower and slipped into a baggy tee shirt and a pair of boxers and slid under the covers. She picked up the envelope of pictures and flipped through them one more time. She couldn't help but smile. He was right. They did look happy. **

**She laid the pictures on the night stand with her favorite one on the top of the stack, leaning them against the lamp so she could see it when she opened her eyes in the morning. She slid down into her pillow and held her hand up in the dark to stare at her ring as it sparkled in the moonlight. It was just a little half carat diamond, but it was sparkling true.**

"**The diamond symbolizes the promise for the future," she heard her own voice repeat his words from the night before as she stared at the ring. She wasn't even sure what she wanted anymore. Or what he wanted. She wondered what he was thinking right now. She pressed her lips together and reached for her cell phone. As she picked it up in her hand it buzzed.**

**She sat up and answered it.**

"**Hello?" She said softly.**

"**Did I wake you?" Elliot's voice asked from the other end of the line.**

**Olivia felt her heart skip a beat.**

"**No," she whispered. Just hearing his voice was such a relief.**

"**I just wanted to call and say good night. And to tell you not to worry. We'll get this mess sorted out. I just want us to be okay."**

"**Yeah."**

"**Are we?"**

"**What?"**

"**Okay…. Are we okay? Liv, I…"**

**She exhaled softly. "We'll be okay Elliot. I just don't know how to fix this. We can't take back what happened between us. Any of it. I mean, we are married."**

"**It is a lot to handle all at once, I know. I just don't want to lose you Olivia, because we had too much to drink on night in Las Vegas and," he paused for a minute.**

"**Woke up married?"**

"**Well, yeah."**

"**El?"**

"**Yeah?"**

"**I don't want to lose you either."**

"**Then no matter what we do, the friendship comes first."**

"**Okay."**

"**Good night, Liv."**

"**Good night, El."**

**She listened until the call had disconnected then sat the phone back down and sank back into the bed again. She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes. A few moments later they popped open again. What did he mean by **_**no matter what we do**_**? She bit her lip for a minute to think about it then broke her concentration with a yawn. She closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.**


	4. 4 Correcting Mistakes

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Four: Correcting Mistakes)_

Olivia smiled as she stared up into his blue eyes. Elliot leaned in and brushed his nose gently against hers teasing her for a moment before his mouth met hers again. He lowered his body onto hers and heard her moan softly into his ear as he entered her body. She smelled amazing and her kisses tasted like the lime from the tequila shots.

Elliot sped up his movements inside her as she moaned and panted to him. He slip his hand up the outside of her thigh and pushed her short skirt up further. Before long her black dress and black lace bra and panties were in the floor on her side of the bed. He pulled his tee shirt over his head and tossed it to the side as well, seconds later his boxers fell on top of it.

They made love for what seemed like an eternity. Moaning softly together, enjoying the smell and feel and taste of each other. Taking advantage of every second they were together. He moved his hands all over her body as he kissed places he had until tonight only dreamed of seeing. She was beautiful and incredibly sexy with a perfect body.

Olivia moved her hands up his bare chest then dragged her fingertips back down his back. She felt the warmth of his mouth in places she hadn't been touched in so long and her mind could not help but follow her minds lead in reacting to him. It was wrong on so many levels. But in the moment, none of that mattered. It didn't even cross their minds. Infact, they were both still heavily intoxicated and it took all of their concentration to even be able to accomplish sex. But they were accomplishing it, they were accomplishing it very well.

The next thing they knew they had changed positions and Olivia was on top of him in the bed. She peered down into his eyes and smiled a warm smile as Elliot brushed her dark hair from her eyes and pulled her mouth to his once more. She raised up just a bit to sort of hover over him as he kissed the sensitive skin of her neck causing a strong and not so silent moan.

Elliot placed one hand against her back as he continued to move inside her. The other he combed through her hair and cupped behind her head. He smoothed his fingertips down her jaw line and brushed them under her chin. Olivia smiled seductively and raised her hand against his as she moved on him. She turned her head to kiss his palm and slipped his thumb into her mouth only for a second as she sucked on it and stared into his eyes.

Elliot couldn't take it anymore. He flipped over her and tossed her down onto the bed as his body crashed back down onto hers. His thrusts were fast and wild now and her eyes seemed to beg for it as she stared back up at him and gasped. His hands seemed to rest against the side of her face. One brushing gently against her cheek and the other tangling in her soft locks of incredibly sexy hair.

"Yes, yes, yes," she moaned softly refusing to close her eyes in fear that when they opened again he would not be the one there with her. Her fingers clawed at his chest and back as her breathing became heavy.

"Am I too rough?" he whispered.

"God no. I can take it."

He smiled at her and laughed.

"What?" She asked with a seductive smile.

Elliot shifted and slowed his thrusts as he pressed his forehead to hers. Her hands slid down the strong muscle of his shoulders and rested on the small of his back as she continued to stare into his eyes.

"I just cant believe that I am here with you. That I am nine inches inside of you," he whispered.

She stared up at him and buried her face against her collarbone as she laughed.

"I'd say more like ten," she whispered seductively into his ear as she trailed her fingertips up his back once more.

Elliot pulled back and stared into her eyes.

"No," he said softly. He shifted his body over hers and raised her knee a little more then pushed himself just a little further into her. Olivia tipped her head back and moaned as she gasped for air once more. Elliot moved slowly inside her again until she opened her eyes to look into his. He pulled her leg in against his thigh and leaned in against her body closely. "Now I'm ten," he whispered.

Olivia laughed again.

She fluttered her eyes trying not to close them. He was hitting her in a in a completely different spot now and she could feel a rush of heat as it began to radiate quickly through her body.

"You have been holding out on me Stabler," she purred against his ear.

Elliot raised up a little and sped up his movements as he felt her begin to tighten around him. Olivia moaned heavily as another orgasm set in, this was her third or maybe her fourth tonight, not counting their little fluid exchange in the elevator earlier in the evening.

The truth was she still wasn't able to think clearly as a result of her excessive alcohol consumption and she had lost count. But there were many. She stared deep into his eyes and felt his body jerk with his release as he collapsed against her. They kissed for a few moments gasping to catch their breath, then Elliot shifted and rolled over in her bed beside her.

"Oh my God," she panted softly.

He turned his head to look at her and kissed her shoulder.

"You okay?"

Olivia smiled and laughed.

"I'm amazing. That was incredible. I have never been better."

Elliot laughed a little and slid her body in against his to hold her in his arms.

"It was incredible."

Olivia trembled just a little in his arms as the wake of her orgasm wore down.

"You're cold?" He asked as he pulled the blankets around them and leaned over her reaching into the floor handing her his shirt and boxer shorts.

Olivia raised her hips from the bed and pulled up the boxers then sat up and pulled the tee shirt on as well. She fell back against the bed and noticed the sunlight beginning to peek through the curtains. She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Elliot who was staring at her grinning like an fool.

"What?"

"Nothing," he replied softly as he rolled in against her and snaked his arm around her waist. "I have just always wondered what it would be like if we…."

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him.

"It was _HOT_. I mean I knew it would be. But…yeah."

He leaned in and kissed her again as she laughed.

"It was, wasn't it?"

Elliot nodded and she curled in against his chest and closed her eyes.

Olivia opened her eyes to stare at the file cabinet across the room. She must had fallen asleep at her desk. She raised her head and rubbed her hands over her face then instinctively looked around the room for Elliot.

He was standing next to the coffee pot with two cups in his hand and turned to walk her way. He sat one cup down in front of her and took his seat at his desk.

"Thank you," she said picking up the cup and raising it to her mouth. Their eyes stared into each other as she sipped her coffee then sat the cup back down.

She shifted her eyes away first, not wanting him to be able to read it in her eyes. To know that she now fully remembered every detail of their inappropriate, yet completely incredible and extremely satisfying sexual experiences the other night. Olivia opened a file on her desk and proceeded to read the face sheet inside as she chewed the cap to her pen.

She could feel Elliot's eyes scanning over her body, but refused to look up at him. They had to focus on work now. After about twenty minutes of feeling his eyes on her and secretly wishing it were his hands on her instead, Olivia stood up and walked into the locker room.

She took a deep breath and paced for a moment then closed her eyes and fell back against them. She couldn't be having these feelings. They weren't feelings at all, she told herself. Just hormones. And those hormones were got them into this mess in the first place. She had to admit that she was more than a little turned on my her little sex dream of them together or memory or whatever it was. But that was in the past and it could never happen again. Olivia chewed nervously at her nail bit.

"Damn it," she said kicking the bottom of the lockers before she leaned against them once more realizing that from this moment on every detail of her sex life would somehow be compared to that steamy night with Elliot. No man would ever stand a chance again.

She exhaled deeply and smoothed her hands over her face once more. She opened her locker and pulled a brush from her purse and combed it through her hair. She pulled her pony tail back neatly as she stared into the mirror and a familiar shape appeared behind her.

"Everything okay?" Elliot asked.

"Yup," she replied as she checked her make up.

"You have been in here for a while."

"I was just…" she pointed up to her hair with the brush still in her hand. But she couldn't lie to him. She tossed the brush into her locker and slammed it shut. "I was just thinking. About what happened the other night." She walked over to the sink and washed her hands then turned to look back at Elliot.

"I figured as much."

She placed her hands against the counter behind her and raised herself to sit on it. Elliot stepped forward and picked up her hand.

"You're wearing your rings?"

Her eyes shifted nervously down to her left hand where the tiny diamond sparkled back up at her.

"I guess I forgot to take them off," she said softly as she slipped her finger from them and held them in her palm.

"Liv, I called Casey and she is going to meet us for lunch. I know this is not exactly her area of expertise, bit I figured she could at least offer up a little advice and point us in the right direction."

"Yeah."

"We are supposed to meet up with her in an hour."

Olivia looked down at Elliot's hands. They had somehow comfortably rested on her knees and that didn't seem to bother either of them now.

"I got something for you."

"Elliot," she shook her head slowly in protest.

"It's okay. I just wanted to give it to you now. It wont be long and you wont be my wife anymore."

His confident smile just made her uneasy as she took the small box from his palm. Inside was a thin silver chain.

"It's to put your rings on. So you don't have to completely take them off and they don't get lost." He paused for a few moments as he slid her wedding rings onto the chain and she lifted her hair for him to fasten it. "There." He looked into her eyes for a second. "I have one, too." He pulled a men's silver rope chair up as his wedding ring spun in circles around it.

"You still wear it?"

"We're still married. For now. Look we may have been intoxicated, but we made a promise. And I don't break promises," he said staring into her eyes as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I will wear them, as long as we are married."

Olivia nodded her head agreeing to a silent pact. She wouldn't take hers off either.

That afternoon they sat at an outdoor table on the patio of a nice little place downtown with Casey as Elliot carefully explained their dilemma.

Casey stared at them blankly as she took a sip of iced tea.

"So do you think you can help us?" Elliot asked.

"Well," she said taking a deep breath and sitting her glass on the table again, "I don't think any judge will hesitate to grant an annulment on these grounds. You are just lucky you didn't consummate the marriage, that is when things get tricky." She raised her eyes too look at Olivia whose jaw dropped open and her eyes moved quickly to stare at the ground refusing to look at Casey. "You did consummate the marriage?"

Olivia sat quiet and didn't answer. But the look on her face was that of a guilty child who had just been caught and was trying to avoid lying to a parent. Casey shifted her eyes to look at Elliot.

"Umm, yeah."

"Okay." Casey took a deep breath and tapped her fingernails against the table. "That complicates the situation just a bit. It is hard to find a judge understanding enough to grant an annulment after….that point in a marriage. That is what makes it legal and binding. So more than likely, you are going to have to file for divorce."

"A divorce?" Olivia looked at Casey.

"Well, it really wont be that complicated. You share no assets and have no children together, so there are no custody issues. You just need to go down and file for a legal separation. That takes about half an hour and a hundred bucks at the courthouse."

"Then what?" Olivia asked.

"Then, you wait."

"Wait? How long?"

"The state of New York requires a couple to be declared legally separated for a period of at least six weeks before the divorce proceedings can go through. It gives them time to think about it and I guess they want to know that the couple really gave it a chance."

"Six weeks?" Olivia turned and looked at Elliot.

"I just figured my divorce with Kathy took so long because of the kids and custody hearings."

"This is different. But it does take a little while. I'm sorry if I couldn't tell you the news you wanted to hear. But I have a few friends in the business if you guys need referrals to lawyers."

"We have to have lawyers?" Olivia was still a little shocked that it was going to take so much to get things back to the way they used to be.

"Just a precaution. You don't have to have them, but the judges prefer you do."

"Okay," she mumbled trying to let everything sink in.

"listen, I am sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. But I have to get back to court. Good luck, you guys."

"Thanks Case," Elliot said as she walked away from the table.

Olivia sat quiet for a minute then looked up at Elliot with tears in her eyes.

"I am going to be your ex-wife?"

"It isn't the same, Liv. This is just procedure to undo this. It is not as big a deal as it sounds."

She nodded.

"Okay."

Elliot looked at his watch.

"We have a little more time before we have to be back to work. If you want we can head over and file the separation now."

"Yeah, lets just get this over with." She rubbed her hands over her face fighting off tears. "I just want things back to normal."

"They will be. It is just going to take a little time."

They stopped by the courthouse and before she knew it she was sitting in the car on the way back to the precinct holding they legal separation papers in her hand.

"Hey," Elliot said softly sliding his hand into hers. "We're going to be okay. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, but it still feels a little sad. Doesn't it?"

"I guess so. But this is what it is going to take to put things back to normal, Liv. I thought that was what you wanted."

"It is. I just….well, I have never been married before. And now I went from being married to legally separated in two days. And in five weeks and six days, I will be divorced."

"Olivia, someday you are going to have the wedding of your dreams. With the one man in the world who was made just to be with you, your soul mate. And that will be the marriage you'll want to remember. Not this. You deserve so much more."

Olivia smiled fighting back tears as she shifted in her seat and stared out the window. Maybe he was right. This was all a big mistake. And now all they could do was wait it out until the judge would grant their divorce.


	5. 5 No Happy Ending

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Five: No Happy Ending)_

**SIX WEEKS LATER**

Olivia climbed the steps of the court house and walked nervously inside. This was it "D-day" so to speak and the day both of their lives would change forever. She took a deep breath and walked into the courtroom taking a seat next to her lawyer.

Casey had been able to arrange this private meeting with a judge to get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. And now she stood in the front of the courtroom chatting small talk with the judge, until it was time.

Elliot walked in and smiled at Olivia across the room. She smiled back and nodded as his lawyer stepped between them and tried to keep them from looking at each other. Olivia shifted her eyes to stare down at her shoe and replayed all of the events of the last several weeks in her mind. They had been through so much together in such a short time.

"Are we ready to get started?" The judge asked slamming his gavel onto the desk in front of him.

Everyone took their seats as Olivia fidgeted nervously in hers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was all going to work out, she reminded herself as the bailiff asked them to stand to be sworn in.

They stood behind tables on opposite sides of the room as their lawyers explained the situation and spoke a bunch of big words that really had no meaning. Olivia looked over at Elliot and their eyes met. She pressed her lips together and they quivered for a moment in hesitation. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She shifted her attention back to her lawyer, some stuck up nobody fresh out of law school. And he had no clue who she was or why she was really here.

She felt a chill and a nervous flutter in her stomach as she crossed her arms in front of her. She looked back over at Elliot once more, but he was staring straight ahead. She wondered if he was as nervous as she was right now. Then she thought back to the moment she stood staring into his eyes and repeating her vows. How naturally they flowed from her mouth and how easily the words formed. Yes, she had been intoxicated. But surely there was more to it than that. Why was she so nervous now, when she wasn't nervous at all then?

Olivia pressed her lips together and looked over her shoulder at the door in the back of the courtroom. Her lawyer turned and looked at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she said softly and brushed past him as she moved quickly out the doors in the back of the room.

"Olivia," Elliot said jumping over a bench to run after her.

Casey looked nervously up at the judge and the other lawyers in the room, then stood up and walked out into the front lobby.

Elliot caught up to her in tears pacing the front steps of the court house.

"Liv?"

She stopped and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I have screwed this all up," she sobbed as she combed her fingers through her hair.

"It's okay," Elliot said as he cupped his hand against her cheek. "Sit down and talk to me."

She nodded and they sat on a bench beside the courthouse for a few moments just gathering thoughts and catching their breath.

"I just felt like I couldn't breathe," she said with tears streaming down her face.

"Try to calm down." He rubbed his hand in circles on her back.

Olivia looked up into the blue of his eyes and instantly felt the calm begin to creep through her body.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," she said softly looking away from him. She took a deep breath. "Elliot, I'm pregnant." She shifted her eyes to stare into his once more.

"Pregnant?"

She nodded. "I just found out this morning. I know he was going to ask me that, the judge. And I couldn't let you find out like that. You needed, you deserved to know first."

"A baby."

"Yeah, I was a little shocked too."

Elliot dropped down on his knee on the concrete in front of her.

"Liv, look at me. What do you want to do?"

She shifted her eyes from him to the his lawyer standing on the steps of the courthouse behind him.

"Forget about all of that," he said locking his fingers in hers. "Look at me and tell me what you want, in your heart."

"I want to keep this baby."

Elliot nodded.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And I want you to be in its life."

"Okay."

"Olivia, look me in the eye and tell me that you want this divorce."

She shifted her eyes to look into his as the man behind them as he began to call down to them.

"Just shut up and give us a minute!" Elliot yelled back at him.

He turned his eyes back to Olivia, who was now crying.

"Liv, baby just tell me what you want. It's okay. Just talk to me." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Do you want this divorce?" He whispered softly.

She slowly began to shake her head as she sobbed.

"Or we could give it a try. What have we got to lose Olivia? If we try it out and it doesn't work then we come back here. And we go in there and get divorced. But at least we know that gave it a fair shot. I love you, Olivia. I always have."

"I love you too," she whispered softly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she sobbed as she nodded her head.

Elliot pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"It's okay now," he whispered trying to soothe her. "Everything is going to be okay now."

He pulled back from her and brushed the hair back from her face as he kissed her lips. He reached behind her neck and unclasped the thin silver chain dropping her wedding rings into his palm. He picked them up and slid them back onto her finger as he stared into her eyes and kissed her again. He reached for his chain and jerked it against the back of his muscular neck breaking it and dropped his ring into her palm. Her brown eyes sparkled as she slipped it back onto his hand.

"If we are going to do this, we are doing it all the way. And it is for real this time. No more hiding it." He placed his hand against her flat stomach and stared into her eyes. "Any of it."

She nodded and smiled at her husband.

"Let's go tell that judge that the divorce is off."

Elliot helped her to her feet and lead her back up the courthouse steps.

That night they sat at the table in Olivia's apartment eating the dinner Elliot had cooked for them.

"I was thinking," he said as he looked into her eyes, "we could have a real ceremony, with everyone. Just so that we have a real wedding. If you want to."

"I liked our wedding," she said softly.

She stood up to clear the dishes and Elliot pulled her into his lap. He locked his fingers in hers and stared into her eyes.

"I love you so much."

She smiled softly. "I love you, too. But this is all still a little strange."

"It will take a little getting used to. We need to talk about some things and figure a few things out. But we will work it all out."

She nodded her head softly.

"I should go, it's getting late."

He stood up and picked up his jacket as he headed for the door.

"Elliot. Can you stay?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I would like to at least live under the same roof as my husband."

"Yeah," he laughed. "Okay," he said tossing his jacket onto the couch and leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

Elliot brushed his thumb against her chin and kissed her again. He backed her slowly up against the wall as he kissed her. Just as he pulled back from the kiss she pulled him back to her and kissed his passionately. They continued to kiss as they backed slowly down the hallway to her bedroom where he laid her gently across the bed.

"Elliot," she gasped softly.

"Yeah," he answered as he raised up to look down at her.

She took a deep breath and stared into his eyes.

"I don't want to have sex tonight."

"No?"

She shook her head slowly.

"I mean I want to. But…we've never even dated."

Elliot slid his arm under his head and laid beside her.

"So we will start tonight. And just move at our own pace until…."

She smiled and kissed him.

"You're not upset?"

"No. Olivia, I want to do this right. I know we did this a little out of order. But I love you and this baby and I want to be a good husband and father."

She smiled and kissed him.

"I love you, too."Elliot cupped his hand against the side of her face and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her forehead.

"See Liv, there really is no happy ending."

She raised her head and looked into his eyes confused.

"Every happy ending is the happy beginning of something else."

Olivia smiled and kissed him once more as she settled back in against him for the night. They slept there together, husband and wife, for the first full night since their wedding night. Olivia slept with her head against his chest and his arms tight around her and for the first time since this had all began, she actually slept peacefully all the way through the night.


	6. 6 Yin And Yang

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Six: Yin And Yang)_

Elliot carried the last of his boxes off the elevator and into the apartment pushing the door shut behind him with his foot. It had now been three weeks since he and his wife had decided to try and work things out and chosen not to get divorced. That was the best decision he had ever made in his life.

Olivia helped him scoot the big, heavy boxes down the carpeted hallway and into the guest room where they were being stored for now. She had offered to help him with the entire move, but he would not let her lift or carry anything in her present state.

She was nearly ten weeks pregnant and Elliot was worried that the stress of her helping him move might cause complications with the baby. He had fathered five healthy children so far and was determined to take every precaution to make sure this baby was safe and healthy as well. Olivia loved that they had only known for a little over three weeks that they were even expecting and he was already so over protective.

Elliot watched her as she slid the boxes around the room putting the larger heavy ones in the back on the floor and directing him where to stack the smaller lighter boxes until they had formed a tight neat stack against the wall. It was like a Rubik's cube of boxes and she was determined to make them all neat and organized.

Olivia was a bit of a neat freak. Her apartment was always spotless. Sometimes it didn't even look as if anyone lived there, it was so clean. Elliot however was a different story. He wasn't completely messy. But he had gone from a house full of children to living the single life in a bachelor pad. For the most part he picked up after himself, but this was still going to be quite a change for the both of them.

"There," Olivia said as she tucked the last box neatly into place. She stepped back to look at their work. "Now my husband is all moved in," she said with a smile.

Elliot leaned in behind her and kissed the side of her neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and slid his hands down onto her belly. She wasn't showing yet, but he was sure he could feel their baby inside. He turned her around to look into her eyes and brushed a piece of hair away from her eyes.

"I am so glad that we decided to do this."

"So am I," she said softly placing a sweet kiss on his lips. She brought her hands to rest against her hips as she looked around the room. "Gee baby, you really need to clean your room," she said with a sarcastic grin.

"My room? You going to start making me sleep in here now?" Elliot pulled her into his arms and backed her against the wall as he placed his thumb on her chin and kissed her lips. He stared into her eyes.

"Well, no. But this is your room, your space for your stuff and whatever. If you slept in here then I would get lonely," she said softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips.

This had been a long three weeks. They had started dating and had allowed things to move at a comfortable pace for both of them. Basically they both wanted sex, but wanted to ease into the relationship and get used to each other more before they worked into the sex part.

So far the dating was going really great. Elliot would take her to romantic dinners and late night strolls in the park under the moonlight. They sat side by side and would make out on the couch as they watched movies together and he held her tight in his arms every night. He kissed her good night before he closed his eyes every night and again each morning when they woke.

Usually one or two small kisses was all he was able to get before her nausea set in and she spent at least a half hour leaned over the toilet. Elliot tried to play the role of the supporting husband and hold her hair back for her, but Olivia wasn't a huge fan of having him in the room while she was vomiting.

He understood this, but he wanted to be there for her as well. On the mornings she chose to protest his presence and run him out of the bathroom she would just raise her hand up without looking at him. Elliot would watch for this signal and step back out into the hallway outside the bathroom and sit in the floor beside the door until it opened and she emerged.

He would follow her back into the bedroom and lay across the bed next to her and gently rub her back until she was able to fall back to sleep allowing her stomach to settle. Usually within a half an hour or so she would wake again and begin her day. This had become routine for them. Infact they now set the alarm to get up a little earlier to allow for it.

By now word had gotten out about their drunken exchange of vows in Las Vegas and everyone knew about their marriage. They had shared the news with the children as well and just sort of forgot to mention the extremely intoxicated part. The kids were ecstatic. They all loved Olivia and the thought of having her as a stepmother pleased them greatly.

Elliot and Olivia hadn't however told anyone about their little bundle of joy yet. They had decided to wait for a little while and let the news of the marriage settle in before they dropped the baby bomb. Besides, this gave them a little time to enjoy the news before they had to share it with the world. Elliot knew the kids would be excited and he and Olivia were happy about the baby news. And he just didn't care what anyone else thought.

His family was his world. The kids and Olivia and the new baby, anything beyond that point just happened to exist in the same universe. As long as his wife and children were happy and healthy, he was happy as well.

The next evening Elliot took her out to dinner in a fancy restaurant. He loved to see her all dressed up and he loved to escort his beautiful wife into a crowded room and watch the looks on the faces of the men as they all turned wondering how he had managed to be lucky enough to get a chance to be with her. Elliot often wondered that himself. Yes, alcohol had played a key role in the actual hook up part. But they had been in love long before Vegas. They had just never really admitted it, they were not allowed to feel it or express it.

But that night as Elliot made love to her for the first time and stared deep into her eyes, he felt something that told him that what they were feeling was so much more than just sex. As his body pressed against hers he felt the pounding of her heart against his chest. It was that heart beat that told him the words her lips were unable to speak. And as he stared into her eyes she could read those same words. There was more than just a drunken romp in the elevator that night, there was an unspoken truth between locked lips and salty lime kisses. That was the first time they had admitted to themselves that they were in love. And the first time they had actually chosen to do something about it.

Olivia sat across from Elliot wearing a sexy white dress with thin spaghetti straps. She looked into the mirror of her compact and played with a loose strand of her hair that refused to star in place. She closed the compact and dropped it into her purse as she turned her attention back to him.

"I need to make a hair appointment," she rambled.

"You're going to change your hair?" He asked.

"Well, not if you don't want me to. My roots are starting to show and with the baby and all, I really wont be able to chemical treat it or keep it dyed. I figured I would just cut it off at the pass and have her lighten it a bit so that when it grows back in my natural color you wont notice it as much."

Elliot stared at her and blinked his eyes. Her natural color….a dark auburn with little chestnut highlights that really accented her beautiful brown eyes. He had almost forgotten how she looked with her natural color. Of course Olivia was naturally beautiful. She didn't need the face powder and lipstick and hair dye. Even with no make up at all, her big brown eyes and pretty smile were enough to turn him on.

"El, what do you think?"

"Yeah, I think that would be nice."

She smiled and leaned forward as she slipped her hand in his.

"Well, how do you like me to fix my hair?"

"Liv, really. You are the one who has to wear it. I like it any way you do it."

"Elliot…"

He stared into her eyes and kissed her hand. "My favorite way is when it is darker, your natural color. I love the way the sunlight hits it and it almost ignites. I like it long and wavy. I love when you just get out of the shower and don't blow dry it. And has those soft waves and smells like your shampoo. Sexy as hell. You have amazing hair."

Olivia smiled.

"So don't cut it. But you are okay with my natural color?"

"I love your natural color. Your hair was one of the first four things I noticed about you."

"First four things? I have got to hear this. In order," she said winking at him.

"Well, I was married. But not blind. And it was obvious you were gorgeous. The first thing I noticed was your smile. Beautiful smile. The second was those big brown eyes. They made my heart skip a beat. Then your amazing hair. So soft and silky. It always smelled so good. It was darker then, more of a brunette than auburn."

"And the fourth thing?"

"Well, I am a man. And while I am usually a leg man, I didn't get to see those until a few weeks later when you wore a skirt to court. I will never forget that day."

"Elliot…."

"The next thing I noticed was you heart. The way you just connected with people and wanted to help everyone all of the time. The way these cases got to you, even when they didn't seem to get to you. That to me was the most beautiful thing about you. Your kindness and compassion and ability and want to love and be loved." He was quiet for a moment then he smiled at her. "You thought I was going to say your ass, didn't you?"

Olivia laughed.

"Yeah, I did. Or the boobs."

"Oh, well they are nice too. But those are not what made me fall in love with you. And I didn't really get the full effect of them until about ten weeks ago. You had me hooked way before then. So what was it about me that attracted you?"

"Your ass," she admitted with a smile. She laughed and took a drink of iced tea.

"You are a bad girl," Elliot said pointing at her.

"Well, that was one of the many qualities. Along with your sexy eyes and smile. But I think the thing that made me fall for you was the fact that you were such a wonderful father and husband and friend. You are honest and dependable and an all around wonderful man. I knew I wanted you in my life, however I could have you. And for eleven years, that was only as my partner and best friend. Then one fateful night, we crossed a line and became much more. Lovers and spouses and parents. Now we are building our dreams together, Elliot and I have never been happier in my life."

"Good," he replied leaning across the table to kiss her. "Dance with me, Olivia."

Elliot reached for her hand and lead her to the dance floor, holding her tight against him as they swayed to the music. An hour later they kissed passionately in the elevator on the way upstairs to their apartment.

"Don't get any bright ideas," she whispered seductively as he stared into her eyes.

Elliot laughed and locked his fingers in hers as the doors opened. He unlocked the apartment door and tossed his keys on the table near the door, then picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

He laid her gently on the bed and kissed over her body as she untied his tie and undid the buttons on his shirt. She reached behind her and unzipped the back of her dress then laid back against the pillow and stared up at him. Her fingers moved immediately to his belt buckle as she slipped it from the belt loops and tossed it into the floor moving on to unzip his pants. As she did she felt his erect penis pressing against the inside of his pants and she smiled up at him. The were go for sex and she had never been more ready for anything in her life.

Olivia pulled his pants down as Elliot worked his way out of them and dropped them to the floor. Then he moved his focus back to her. Elliot slipped his hands up her thighs and under the white chiffon ruffles of her skirt as he kissed her passionately and sucked on her collar bone. Olivia laughed a little as he tickled her with warm kisses and moaned against her neck. She knew this foreplay had to be killing him, because she could feel how ready he was against the inside of her thigh through his boxer shorts.

But he waited. Patiently as he prepared her. Kissing her lips and nipping at her neck and earlobes gently then sucking on them, teasing and taunting her. He moved his hand up and pulled off her white lace thong panties. He held them up for a second and looked at them before he shook his head smiling at her and tossed them aside as well.

Every male cell in his body wanted to slam hard into her body and screw her brains out. Thrusting wildly until one of them lost consciousness or she melted around him. But not this time, not now. This time was about her. About him showing her how much he loved her. This would be strong and gentle and passionate and exquisite and perfect. And in making love to her tonight, he would claim her as his wife. He would show her that above all he was her man, her lover and provider. He would go slow and milk out every single orgasm she had held inside her all of these years. He would make up for all of the bad lovers and less than satisfying sexual encounters she had experienced over the years. And he would become the only one man she desired.

Elliot brushed his fingers across the warm skin of her belly as he kissed up the inside of her thigh. He slid her hips down toward him as he pushed her skirt further up. Olivia shifted her knees shyly as he brushed his thumb gently against her clit. Within seconds she screamed out a moan and tossed her head backward against the bed. He slipped two fingers inside her watched her body shake and tremble at his mercy as he moved them slowly inside of her.

Olivia moaned and moved her hips slowly as she traced her fingers over the top of his head. Moments later she felt his warm tongue against the inside of her thigh as he trailed warm wet kisses closer to his goal. Then the first of many orgasms as he barely flicked his tongue over her clit. Olivia moaned and gasped and tried not to scream as she felt every muscle in her body react to him. She grasped the sheets on the bed in her fist and clawed at his shoulder with her other hand.

She would have been completely satisfied if he had stopped right there. But he was not finished with her yet.

Elliot kissed his way back up her body and slid down the silver sequined top of her dress exposing her perfect breasts. Knowing that by this point in the pregnancy they were pretty tender and not wanting to cause her any pain, Elliot caressed them slowly with his hands as he watched her face for a reaction. He did this until he had determined exactly how much pressure she could stand before pleasure turned into pain.

He lowered his mouth to her chest kissing softly under her breasts as he traced them with his tongue causing her to laugh as he brushed sensitive areas. He needed them tenderly as he kissed and sucked on them and she moaned softly to his touch. Just when he thought he had complete control of her Olivia flipped him over and straddled herself across his waist.

Elliot stared up into her wild eyes as she raised the white dress over her head and tossed it from the bed. She lowered her body against his as she kissed his lips and sucked on his neck. He ran his fingertips over her bare back and was pretty sure that his cock was now harder that it had ever been before in his life. Olivia kissed down his chest and disappeared under the blankets. Elliot raised the blanket to look down at her as she licked her fingertip and traced it gently up the shaft and over the tip of his penis as she stared into his eyes. She placed her hand against the shaft and stared into his eyes as she teased him with the tip of her tongue. God he loved this woman! Elliot moaned and that was her signal. Olivia moved over him and slipped her mouth down over his penis. She moved her hand slowly and moaned softly as she gave him the best blow job he had ever had. Within seconds he was moaning along with her. Elliot moved his hand through her hair and traced his finger along her jaw line as she continued, moving slowly up and down on him and moaning. Her mouth was so warm and so wet and felt so good. She was incredible.

"Baby," Elliot moaned softly still new to her routine.

Olivia tipped her head up to look at him and he nodded at her.

"Yeah?" She whispered softly as she stroked him slowly.

"Yeah," he exhaled softly.

She smiled back at him and lowered her mouth onto him once more moaning softly as she let him come in her mouth. She pulled back slowly and pressed her lips together then leaned down and kissed her way back up his chest grinding her hips slowly against him as she did. He was still hard and wanting her. Normally by now he would have finished completely or given up an gone to sleep, but he knew she was worth the wait. The two times he had been with her were better than anything he had ever experienced in his life. And by the looks of things tonight would be even better.

Olivia flipped her hair back as her mouth found his and they kissed passionately. He didn't just want her anymore, he needed her. If he didn't have her he was sure it would somehow kill him.

Elliot moved his hand to the middle of her back and rolled over on top of her, misjudging the force it took to flip them and almost tossing them both into the floor. Olivia laughed as she looked up at him with her head hanging off the bed and her hair touching the carpet below.

Elliot raised up and slid her hips down against him pulling her head onto the bed once more, her hair still hanging over the edge of the mattress. He gently pushed her knees apart with his hand and glided his fingers down the inside of her thigh watching as she bit her lip in anticipation. He brushed his fingertip gently against her staring into her eyes feeling her wetness. He aligned himself with her entrance and with one slow smooth thrust he was inside her once more.

He raised up inside her remembering how incredible she felt around him all warm and wet as he moved inside her. Being inside her again was like coming home, it had become the one thing he craved after a long hard day at work. The only thing that could justify dealing with the harsh realities of the world. As much as half of this was making love to her and the other half the sheer satisfaction of fucking her brains out, the yin and yang of lust and love that constantly swirled around them from the day that they met.

Olivia moaned heavily with each of his thrusts. She was approaching her finish and from the look of sheer exhaustion in her eyes she was actually finished this time. Elliot pressed his mouth to hers as he sped up his thrusts inside her. After a few minutes he could feel the pressure building up inside him as well. He traced his fingertip across her lips and across her jaw bone as he brought his mouth to hers once more. He felt the shutter of her walls against him as she moaned in reaction to the Earth shaking orgasm ripping through her body. Elliot pressed his forehead to hers and stared into her eyes as he felt himself release inside her and brought his body to rest against hers.

They breathed heavily for a few moments as they smiled and stared into each others eyes. Elliot rolled over beside her in the bed and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest and he kissed the top of her head as he combed his fingers through her hair.

"I love you," she gasped breathlessly against his body.

"I love you too, baby."

Elliot tucked the blankets around her to keep her warm as he traced the curve of her shoulder with his fingers. Before long they had fallen asleep together in their bed, in their apartment, in each others arms. Swirled together peacefully, yin and yang.

_****This one is for you Kelly! I finally got your update finished! I hope you enjoyed it!****_


	7. 7 A Few Little Changes

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Seven: A Few Little Changes)_

Elliot was still asleep when he felt the first of her warm kisses on his lips. He moaned a little as he heard her whisper his name into his ear. He smiled and laughed and opened his eyes to look into hers. She had _that_ look in them. The look she gave him when she wanted sex and was too shy and polite to ask for it.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning," she said with a smile. "How did you sleep?" She whispered.

"Good. You?"

"Great. Did you think about me?" She smiled seductively and batted her eyelashes at him.

"All night long. Infact," he raised the blankets to look at their nude bodies underneath, "I'm thinking about you right now."

Olivia laughed as she leaned in against his body feeling his erection between them.

Elliot raised his eyebrows suggestively and she leaned in and kissed his lips. Elliot rolled over onto her body and kissed all over her body. Before long he was inside of her and they were making love again.

As they finished Elliot held her against him and stared into her eyes.

"Wow," he said smiling at her, "what a way to start the day."

She moaned softly and kissed his lips.

"I know, I love morning sex."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Elliot kissed the tip of her nose.

"Must be those pregnancy hormones."

Olivia laughed.

"Actually, no. I was like this before I was pregnant."

He laughed again.

"Oh, you were, huh?"

"What? So I have a healthy sexual appetite. Is that a problem?"

"Oh, God no! I was actually just thinking, how much fun we are going to have doing this for the next hundred years."

Olivia smiled.

"I don't know about a hundred years. But I've at least got you covered for the next thirty or forty."

"That's my girl," Elliot said with a smile as he kissed her lips.

"Well, when I find something this good…..it is like I can't get enough."

"I know exactly what you mean, baby. Infact, if that didn't completely exhaust me I would gladly do it again."

Olivia kissed him passionately.

"Well we have all weekend, so close your eyes and rest up for the next round."

He smiled back at her and kissed her as he held her tight against him. He closed his eyes as they soon fell back to sleep.

An hour later Elliot rolled over in the bed to pull her back into his arms. He reached for her, but she wasn't beside him anymore. He opened his eyes and sat up in the bed looking around the room. His clothes they had tossed into the floor the night before now laid folded neatly on the dresser across the room and the smells of bacon and coffee filled the air. He stood up and walked across the room slipping on his boxers and tee shirt then headed for the kitchen.

Olivia was dancing around the kitchen in pajama pants and a tee shirt singing along to some eighties song on the radio. Elliot watched her quietly as she spun around in a circle not missing a beat. She poured a bowl of scrambled egg whites into a pan and continued to rock out as she picked up the spatula in her hand and began to stir them. Toast popped up from the toaster and she spun around spreading butter over it and stacking it neatly on a plate. Another spin and a few creative dance moves later she stood in front of the refrigerator with the door open as she leaned in to pull out a pitcher of orange juice and sit it on the counter. Olivia was still staring into the refrigerator when Elliot snaked his arms around her waist startling her. Olivia screamed and jumped as she turned around to look at him.

"You scared the hell out of me!"

Elliot laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to."

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to wish we already had a video camera or I had thought to grab my cell phone. That would have made one hot youtube video."

Olivia hit him in the stomach with a dish towel and reached for the juice again.

"Breakfast is almost ready," she said with a smile as she stacked two plates on the counter and handed him a cup of coffee.

"It smells wonderful," Elliot replied pulling her against his body for a kiss.

They sat down to breakfast.

"You know we should contact the real estate companies and start looking for another place soon. I'd like to be settled before the baby arrives."

"Yeah," she said sounding a little down.

"What's up baby?"

"Nothing, I just really like this place. It is a great neighbor hood and I have been here for years."

"I know, Liv. But this place just isn't going to be big enough once the baby gets here. We need a nursery and space for when we get the other kids. I wouldn't mind trying to find a place with some kind of yard so the kids can play outside."

"Elliot, most of them are old enough they wont be doing much playing outside."

"I mean Eli and this baby. I want us to be able to play outside with our kids. I want them to have a safe place to grow up."

Olivia smiled. She reached across the table and slipped her fingers through his.

"So do I. And that means more to me than any apartment anywhere."

"So I think maybe we should give them a call on Monday and start the house hunt. And if we sell of both apartments we should have enough for a nice little down payment."

"Elliot, it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I just want something that is ours, not yours or mine, but ours together. We could even fix it up, that could be fun. I mean, to some extent. We probably need at least four bedrooms, maybe five bedrooms. Two bathrooms. Ooh, a laundry room. I wouldn't have to send my laundry out or go to a Laundry mat anymore. There will be so much more laundry once we have the baby anyway, it would be so nice to be able to do our own laundry at home."

"The simple pleasures," Elliot said with a smile.

"Hey, you laugh. But I have never in my life owned a washer and dryer."

"Never?"

"Nope. I always lived in apartments. I have lived in this one since just after we met. Where would I put a washer and dryer?"

"I promise you, Olivia. When we get our house I will buy you a washer and dryer. No more laundry mat."

She smiled again.

"I would also like to fence the yard," he added.

"I just want a good neighborhood, close to a good school. Somewhere safe. But you know to find all of this we are going to have to leave the city?"

"Well, we could compromise a little."

"What do you mean?"

"There are places where you can buy like a loft and have plenty of room. We could remodel if we need to. We would have everything but the yard. But we could even find something around this neighborhood, if you want."

"It is just so close to work. We're not too awful far from Kathy and the kids. There is a really good nursery school just across town."

Elliot moved across the room and picked up yesterdays paper off the coffee table across the room and unfolded it.

"I'm pretty sure I saw… yes here," he said flipping the paper around and pointing at an add for condos and loft apartments for sale.

"I just wasn't sure what you wanted. I figured you wanted a house."

"I'm not really set on anything in particular. Maybe we should just check out our options and see what we find. But if you are thinking about renovating before the baby is born then we had better get in gear. We have just over seven months to buy a place and complete renovations and get the nursery set up before the baby arrives."

"You're right. That does sound a little crazy."

"Let's just make an appointment and look around before we decide what we want, okay?" She kissed him then stood up and cleared the dishes from the table and cleaned up the kitchen.

Elliot moved into the living room to watch a little television.

"I think I'm going to get into the shower," she said kissing him softly.

"Okay. I was thinking maybe later this afternoon we could go window shopping. Just get nursery ideas. If you want to, just for something to do. I'll buy you lunch and we can figure out when and how to break the baby news to everyone."

Olivia smiled. Elliot loved making her smile.

"That sounds great."

Elliot kissed her.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Half an hour later Olivia called him back to the bedroom. Elliot walked in to find her wrapped in her bath robe with a big smile on her face.

"Baby, what's going on?"

"El look," she said softly opening the front of her robe and revealing her body to him.

Elliot looked her over and smiled. She had an amazing body and now that she was pregnant, her perfect breasts were getting even larger.

"Yeah baby, that's nice." he reached for her and leaned in to kiss her.

Olivia laughed.

"No, Elliot. Not these," she said cupping her breasts in her hands, "this." She smoothed her hands over a now small but noticeable baby bump.

Elliot knelt to the floor in front of her and smoothed his hands over her belly and kissed it gently. He looked up at her and smiled. Olivia stared back down at him noticing the tears welling in his eyes.

"This is so incredible," he said softly. "Our baby."

"I swear that was not there yesterday," she said with a smile.

Elliot kissed her belly once more and stood up to kiss her.

"I cannot wait to meet this kid," he said with a proud smile.

"Me either," she replied softly as she closed her robe once more.


	8. 8 Luck Of The Draw

_**What Happens In Vegas**_

_**(Chapter Eight: Luck Of The Draw)**_

**Elliot reached across the bed and placed his hand against Olivia's swollen belly. He traced his fingertip in little circles pressing lightly against her skin until she giggled. Olivia placed her hand over the top of his and slid it across her belly to feel the baby kick inside. She stared at him with her big brown eyes and gave him a warm smile.**

"**Today's the big day," Elliot said softly.**

"**Big day? Elliot, I am just six months today. We have a little while before the big day."**

"**No, I mean you're appointment. You're six months now. They can tell the sex of the baby. They should have been able to tell the last time, but the baby wasn't in a good position."**

**Olivia smiled at him and sat up in the bed. She turned her feet to the side scrunching her toes against the carpet. She placed one hand on the bed for leverage and the other against her belly for support as she stood up. **

"**Have you decided on a theme for the nursery? I'd really like to get it painted and get the carpet in. The furniture we ordered should be in within the next week or so."**

"**Ooh, hold that thought El. Our little bundle of joy here is practicing kickboxing against my bladder."**

**Elliot laughed as she made her way across the room and into **_**her **_**bathroom. Normally it would have just been a master bathroom. But Olivia had pretty much laid claim to it right after they had moved in. They had decided to sell both of their apartments and purchased this loft together. It had plenty of space for their growing family, but Elliot hired contractors to put a few personal touches to the place before they moved in.**

**The one existing bedroom was being turned into the nursery and they added a wall to create the large space that was now the master bedroom. Along with the new bedroom came a second bathroom. Of which Elliot let Olivia design. She had chosen a full bath with a large step down garden tub and a separate beautifully frosted large glass shower stall. The vanity had two sinks and lighting all the way around the mirror. This was where she sat to do her hair and makeup each day. The counter tops were adorned with perfume bottles and hair brushes and her curling iron hung from the towel rack on the wall. And since she was the one who was carrying their unborn child around and had to pee every half hour, she used it more that he did anyway.**

**Elliot didn't mind though. This pretty much left him with the other bathroom all to him self. And it was a lot less work for him to walk the extra twelve feet down the hall to shower every morning than it was for her. **

**They had purchased the top two floors of the building in their contract. For the time being they were living off the lower level. But as soon as the construction was finished the upstairs would house three more bedrooms for the kids, another full bathroom, a guest room and a living area for entertainment. There was also an office that had yet to be built on the first level. They had already torn down the doors separating the two units and widened the stairwell to make it appear more welcoming. They were both pleased with their new home and that was a good thing seeing as they would be paying it off for at least the next fifteen years or so. **

**Olivia walked back into the bedroom and stepped into the closet. She tossed a pair of black running pants and a maternity shirt on the bed next to Elliot. Then stepped out to change. **

"**So?" He asked, waiting patiently for her to answer.**

"**So….what?"**

"**Have you decided on a theme for the nursery?"**

**She exhaled deeply, placing her hand against her belly. "I can't make up my mind."**

"**Well, we can wait until after we find out the baby's sex. That might help. Make it easier to choose if you knew if we needed to be looking for pink or blue."**

"**I don't know, El. I was kind of thinking, that maybe I would rather wait to find out. Be surprised. You know, do this the old fashioned way."**

"**The old fashioned way?"**

"**Yeah. And I have decided that I want to breast feed and that I want try to do this without any drugs."**

"**Baby, I fully support you in whatever you want to do. I mean it is your body and you are the one who has to go through delivery. But don't you think you should reconsider an epidural?"**

"**You don't think I can do it?"**

"**Honey, I know you can. I just don't understand why on earth you would want to."**

"**Kathy had Eli without drugs."**

"**Kathy didn't have a choice. I'm sure if you asked her and she had the chance to do it again she would choose the drugs."**

**Olivia stared up at him for a minute.**

"**Liv, I just want you to be a comfortable as you can. I hate seeing you in pain. But if you want to do it with out drugs, then I fully support your decision. And I will be right there holding your hand the entire time."**

**She smiled at him. "Thank you."**

"**You are very welcome," Elliot said leaning in to kiss her.**

"**I think maybe a jungle theme with greens and yellows. Bright and good for a boy or a girl. What do you think?"**

"**Sounds good. If you want we can go by the hardware store and get some paint samples after your appointment. What color carpet would you use with green and yellow paint?"**

"**Well, we could just keep the hard wood flooring. Just refinish it and maybe put a throw rug down to kind of tie together the room. We can look around until we find something we both like."**

"**So you really don't want to know if we are having a boy or a girl?"**

"**I think I would rather wait. It doesn't really matter to me if this baby is a boy or a girl. Either way I want it and I'm going to love it just as much. We can just pick out a boy's name and a girl's name."**

"**I don't know if I could wait. Kathy and I tried that before and it never works out. We always ended up giving in and finding out."**

"**You can find out if you want to. Just don't tell me," she said with a laugh.**

**That afternoon after her doctors appointment they left the clinic, neither of them knowing the sex of their child. They picked out the paint for the nursery and even ordered a throw rug that was perfect. Elliot unloaded the paint cans for his project and dropped Olivia off at home so she could be there while the men were there working on the loft. He had to go in to work half a day, but Olivia was off the rest of the afternoon.**

**A few hours later Elliot called her from work.**

"**Hey beautiful, what's going on?"**

"**Not much," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice. "The workers finished the office and are now working upstairs."**

"**How does it look?"**

"**It's nice. I can't believe how well this place is coming together. They are talking like they should have it complete in a few weeks."**

"**Wow. I was thinking about taking my beautiful wife out for dinner tonight."**

"**Oh yeah?"**

"**Yeah. Someplace nice. Elegant, where I can show you off."**

**Olivia laughed. "Show me off? Elliot I'm the size of a blimp!"**

"**You're amazing and I love you. And tonight, I'm taking you out. I will be home in about an hour."**

"**Okay. I love you."**

"**I love you too, sweetheart."**

**Elliot hung up his cell phone and looked across the desk at the picture he kept there. He reached across and picked up the frame to get a closer look. Inside was one of the pictures from their wedding in Las Vegas. He traced his finger over it and smiled. Tucked into the frame on the outside of the glass was a sonogram picture of their baby. Elliot felt a large smile cross his face as he looked down at the beautiful woman he had made his wife and the baby they had created together.**

"**I am the luckiest man in the world," he mumbled softly.**

**He reached up and placed the frame back onto the desk. Then opened a file. A few more sheets of paper work and he could go home to his family.**

**Elliot entered their living room about an hour later and called to Olivia.**

"**I'll be ready in just a minute," she answered.**

**He walked down the hall toward their bedroom, stopping on the way to inspect the new office. He entered the bedroom and leaned around the door frame into the bathroom to talk to her.**

"**The office looks great."**

"**I really like the carpet you picked out. They did a really great job. They got a couple of the walls put up upstairs. The guy said they could probably get the plumbing moved up this weekend."**

"**They are working this weekend?"**

"**He said they could come by for a few hours on Saturday afternoon if we were going to be around. They are bringing the plumber. I didn't think we had any plans. I can call him back and cancel if you want. I just figured that would put them getting done a little faster. And it is the plumber we wanted. He has a busy schedule. We can wait, but we might end up having to hire someone else."**

"**No, Saturday is fine."**

"**Good," she said with a smile. "Can you…" she turned and motioned for him to zip her dress. It was black chiffon with spaghetti straps and showed off her baby bump. "There, what do you think?"**

"**You look amazing. But…"**

"**But what, El?" She asked nervously.**

"**It is missing something," he replied raiding his finger to his lips to think. "I have an idea." Elliot stood up and walked out of the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later with a small gift box in his hand.**

"**What is this?"**

"**This, is your anniversary gift." He looked into her eyes as she smiled unsure of what he was up to. "We have been married exactly six months today. And we have been parents for six months, well either today or tomorrow."**

**Olivia laughed. She opened the box and stared down at a three stone diamond pendant and matching diamond earrings. **

"**Oh, Elliot. They are beautiful."**

"**They're diamonds."**

"**I know baby, thank you."**

"**Liv, the baby is due in April. His or her birthstone is a diamond."**

**Olivia raised her eyes to look at him. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes as he smiled back at her. He was the most amazing man she had ever known and he was her husband. **

"**El," she whispered through tears as she reached to hug him. "I am the luckiest woman in the world. I love you."**

"**I love you too, honey. Happy anniversary."**

**Olivia had secretly always been a sentimental person. But now with her pregnancy hormones in full force, there was no hiding it. Elliot had promised to make all of her dreams come true. And he was off to one hell of a start. **


	9. 9 Busted

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Nine: Busted)_

Olivia was well into her seventh month of pregnancy. She opened her eyes and placed her hand on her belly just over where the baby kicked inside. This was the forth time she had to wake up to pee since she had gone to bed. She rolled over and pushed herself up off the bed and moved toward the bathroom.

As she came out a few minutes later she looked over to watch Elliot sleep. She smiled as she listened to his snores. It was almost six o'clock in the morning and her husband would soon be getting up to get ready for work. Olivia made her way to the kitchen and turned on the lights. Before long she has cooked him a hot breakfast complete with coffee and eggs, just the way he liked them. She fixed him a plate and a cup and moved back down the hall toward the bedroom to wake him up to start his day.

"El?" She said sweetly as she sat the plate down on the night stand beside the bed and turned the light on.

"Yeah," he said sitting up really fast. "You okay? What's going on?" Elliot placed his hands on her belly as the baby moved inside.

"We're fine. I didn't mean to scare you. But it is time for you to get up. I made you some breakfast."

"I thought maybe it was time."

Olivia smiled. "Not for a few more weeks," she said rubbing her hand in a circle over her belly. Elliot scooted over for her to sit beside him in the bed. Olivia handed him the plate of food and took a sip of his coffee, then passed it to him as well.

"You're not going to eat?"

"Baby, I have not been able to eat eggs the entire time I have been pregnant. I will be sick the rest of the day. And leaning over to vomit is even more of an inconvenience now than it was before," she said placing her hand against her belly.

"What about coffee?"

"We're out of decaf and if I drink a cup of that this kid will probably kick it's way through my stomach by this afternoon."

"So what are your big plans for today?" He asked allowing his fingers to dance around on her belly .

"The jungle animal decals came in for the nursery. I want to get those put up. And clean house."

"Liv, the house is spotless. As always. Infact, it is so clean that it doesn't even look like people actually live here."

"I like a clean house. I can't stand it when it is messy."

"Okay, clean the house. And after that?"

"I don't know. Probably take a nap and cook dinner. Any ideas what you want to eat? I was thinking maybe fried chicken."

"Sounds good."

Olivia smiled.

"I can fix whatever you want. If you would rather have something else?"

"No, chicken sounds great."

"And what are your plans for the day?"

"Ahhh. Munch and I are working on a case. The usual. Tons of paper work and talk to a few witnesses."

"Sounds like fun," she said sarcastically.

"Oh yeah. I'd better get in the shower or I'm going to be late."

Later that afternoon Olivia was fixing lunch for the two of them. After she began to show the early symptoms of labor a couple of weeks earlier, Olivia's doctor had suggested she avoid the stress of her work until after the baby was born. Since then she had been stuck at home. Everyday about this time Elliot could come home and have lunch with his wife. It gave her a little company and him an excuse to check up on her without driving her nuts.

The phone rang and Olivia placed her hand on her belly and moved across the room to answer it.

"Hey baby," she said with a smile as she answered the phone.

"How is everything?"

"Good. I'm making lunch."

"Actually honey, that is why I am calling. I ran into an old friend I have not seen in years. We are supposed to meet for lunch in an hour. If you don't mind. But I should be able to cut out a little early today and be home in time to help cook dinner."

"Oh, no. I don't mind. I'll just grab something, then I have to go pick up a few more things to finish the nursery. I will see you later then?"

"Yeah. I love you."

"I love you too, El."

"See you tonight, honey."

A couple of weeks past and things seemed to be perfect. Elliot and Olivia had finally finished the nursery and the kid's rooms upstairs were now complete. The loft was just about finished. Soon their home together would be complete with the addition of their new son or daughter.

Olivia couldn't seem to make up her mind when it came to baby names. And Elliot didn't really care what she chose as long as their baby was strong and healthy. The Stabler children were anxiously awaiting the new arrival as well, throwing their own little baby shower for Olivia.

Today Elliot was working with Fin while Munch was off to work. Olivia kissed him goodbye and headed for the shower to start her day. Anymore all she ever did was sit around the house. But today, she and Casey had planned an afternoon of shopping and relaxation.

Olivia wanted to check out a little baby boutique Casey had found across town. Afterward they planned to get some lunch and maybe see a movie or something. Anything, really. Just a day out of the house.

Olivia climbed out of the shower and blow dried her hair. She got dressed and called Casey.

"Hey, Liv. I am running just a little late. My last meeting ran over and I am just now getting out. I can be there in half an hour."

"Sounds good Casey. I'll see you then."

Twenty seven minutes later, Casey squealed in excitement as Olivia opened the door to let her in.

"Oh my gosh! Look at your belly!" Casey placed a hand on each side to feel the baby kick. "It has been a couple of weeks since I have seen you. We've just been talking on the phone. But this has definitely gotten bigger. How are you doing, honey?"

Casey tried to lean in and hug Olivia without pressing against her pregnant belly.

"I'm good Casey. We're good," she said placing her hand against her belly to try and sooth the excited baby inside.

"So you still don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"We decided to wait until the baby is born and be surprised."

"Well, change of plans. I hope you don't mind if we go eat first. I am starving!"

"Case, I am almost eight months pregnant and I am the size of a house. I am always hungry. I am ready to eat any time you are."

"Good. There is this new place, I want to take you to. My treat."

"You don't have to do that."

"Liv, I want to. Besides, it will kind of be my way of making up for not coming to see you more while you have been on house arrest."

The restaurant Casey chose was near some of the stores they wanted to visit. Afterward they walked the block and a half to the first store. Inside, Casey went wild picking out baby items for Elliot and Olivia's little bundle of joy.

"I really wish I knew if this kid was a boy or a girl. They have some of the cutest little clothes."

"Casey, you have already got blankets and sleepers and stuffed animals. You have spent over two hundred dollars here today and this isn't even your kid."

"I know. But it is the closest I will have to one for a while. I want to be the crazy aunt who spoils this baby."

"You already are," Olivia said as the sales girl stuffed all of Casey's purchases into plastic bags.

They walked down the side walk past a few more stores and stopped to gaze into a store window.

"I love those jeans," Olivia said.

"Hmm, I like the jacket. We should go in."

"Why? You already have three jackets just like that one and all you ever wear are the clothes you go to court in."

"Come on," Casey said as she backed through the door and gave Olivia a goofy smile.

Olivia walked around the store looking at clothes that were now half her size as Casey tore her way through the sales rack.

"I'm going to go try these on, I will be out in a minute." Casey watched as Olivia fixed on the jeans in the window once more. "You should get them."

"You are insane. Look at me, those are never going to fit me."

"Well, not now. You're twenty months pregnant. But you know eventually this kid is going to come out and your body will be back to normal. And those jeans would perfectly accent your assets," Casey said hitting Olivia's ass with her hand as she laughed.

"What if I have this baby and I don't get my body back? What if I stay this size forever? You know, I have had nightmares about that."

"That is disturbing, Liv. You will be find, I am sure. You are a very active person and you are in amazing shape. I am sure that most of this is baby anyway."

"God, I hope not. Or I would have a twenty five pound baby. I am definitely going to need drugs for that."

"Ouch."

"I think I'll wait until after I get back to my normal size before I go buying a new wardrobe."

They put their purchases in the car and headed into the mall. They walked around for a little while until Olivia got tired. They decided to stop at the food court to get something to drink and rest up a little.

Casey got them both a decaffeinated iced tea and they sat down to make a little small talk while they took a break. While they sat talking they noticed Elliot across the mall a little ways walking around and talking to a woman. She was a tall leggy blonde and appeared to be a few years younger than Olivia.

"Who is she?" Casey asked.

"I don't know. I have never seen her before."

"How do you think he knows her?"

"Maybe she is someone from the case he and Fin are working on."

"I don't know. Watch the way they interact with each other when they talk, they act like they know each other."

Just then they stopped walking and Elliot hugged the girl. They were both smiling and looked happy. Casey turned her attention to Olivia, who looked as if someone had just ripped her heart out and stomped on it.

"Well, I guess she isn't someone he knows from a case," Olivia said as she placed her hand on her belly."

"Maybe, she is his sister."

"Elliot doesn't have a sister, Casey."

"Kathy's sister?"

"Nope."

Casey could see the tears welling up in Olivia's eyes.

"It was just a hug, Liv. I am sure it looked much worse than it is. I am sure Elliot has a logical explanation and this was completely innocent."

"Yeah," Olivia said unable to take her eyes off her husband and the blonde hussy that now walked arm in arm with him.

Just then they kissed. Not a peck on the lips, not a soft kiss on the forehead, but a real open mouth kiss.

"Olivia, I am so sorry." Casey had no idea what to say or do.

Olivia felt humiliated. How could he do this to her? She stood up and walked toward the exit as Elliot raised his hands placing them on the woman's face as they kissed.

Casey grabbed her keys and followed Olivia. When the kiss had ended, Elliot looked up to see Olivia standing just a few feet behind them.

"Liv?" He stuttered.

Olivia felt her tears begin to pour down her face as she moved toward the door. Elliot ran past Casey and out the door after her. Casey turned to shoot an evil glare at the blonde bimbo who started the whole mess, then walked out after them.

"Olivia, wait!" Elliot called out to her as she walked quickly across the parking lot. "I can explain!"

She stopped for a moment and turned to look at him through her tears.

"I'm listening," she said trying hard not to break down before she had made it to Casey's car.

"I didn't know you were going to be here," Elliot finally spit out.

She shook her head and walked toward the car again.

"That isn't what I meant!" He called out to her.

Casey walked past him and pushed the button on the remote control to unlock her car.

"Olivia, please. Just talk to me!"

"I don't even want to look at you," she snapped through her tears as she climbed into the car and slammed the door behind her. "Just take me home Casey," Olivia sobbed as Casey climbed into the car.

"Okay." Casey felt horrible. Of all of the men in the world, Elliot would have been the last one she would expect something like this from.


	10. 10 Burned

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Ten: Burned)_

Olivia was in the bedroom packing her things when Elliot returned home. He headed down the hall toward the bedroom to try and talk to her. As he did Casey walked out of the bathroom and stared at him for a minute.

"Hey Liv, I'm going to go wait in the car. Just send me a text of you need any help, okay?"

"Yeah," Olivia answered. She could tell by the way that Casey was acting Elliot had arrived and she was trying to give them a little time alone.

Olivia looked up just as Elliot walked into the room. She just stared at him for a minute then went back to packing.

"Liv, what are you doing?"

"I'm packing. I'm going to go stay with Casey for a little while until….I don't know." She returned to the closet to grab a few more pairs of shoes.

"Please don't do this. At least give me a chance to explain."

"I did Elliot. And all you could say was I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Olivia, nothing happened."

"Wrong. I saw you! Casey saw you! How long…how long have you known her?"

"Years."

"Really?"

"Olivia, it wasn't like that. It hasn't been in a really long time."

"Oh my God. You're admitting you had a relationship with this girl!"

"Olivia…"

"You know what, Elliot? Don't. Obviously this was a mistake," she said pulling her wedding rings from her finger and laying them on the nightstand. "This whole thing was one big mistake. I should have known that you cannot make a relationship out of one night of drunken sex." She pulled the strap of her duffel bag over her shoulder and walked toward the door. "I will have my lawyer contact yours and work out the details."

"Where are you going?"

"I told you, I'm going to stay with Casey until I figure the rest out."

"And this is really what you want? A divorce?"

Olivia closed her eyes as the tears poured from them. "Yes," she said softly as she looked into his eyes.

Elliot exhaled and shook his head. "Liv, please just talk to me."

"I can't deal with this right now. Casey said it shouldn't take long to get a court date since everything is already in the system."

"So that's it? We are not even going to fight?"

"I don't want to fight, Elliot."

She turned to walk out the door.

"Olivia, wait. You are eight months pregnant. You stay. If this is really what you want, I'll go."

She just stared at him as he took the bag from her shoulder and sat it in the floor.

"Just give me time to pack a bag and I'll go to a hotel."

"Okay," she said softly and she turned and walked out the door.

Two weeks later they sat in a conference room with their attorneys. Elliot watched Olivia across the table as she refused to even make eye contact with him. The lawyers argued over possessions and who got what and Elliot still couldn't believe he had hurt her like this.

"Loft apartment in Manhattan," Elliot's attorney said as he restacked his papers.

"I believe that should go to my client," Olivia's lawyer announced.

"The property was purchased together after their union. My client put his entire savings on the down payment for that apartment. Now you expect him to just walk away homeless?"

"Oh, my client is eight months pregnant. She is hardly in any condition to have to go out apartment hunting for she and her infant."

"My client…"

"Give it to her," Elliot argued with his attorney.

"You just want to give her the house?"

"The house, the car, whatever she wants. Just give it to her. All I want is joint custody of the baby." Elliot stood up from the table and walked out of the room.

Olivia crossed her arms in front of her and lowered her head to cry. Her lawyer laid the agreement down on the table in front of her and she picked the pen up to sign it.

"They can get us in to court on Tuesday. Five more days and this is all over," Olivia's attorney said as he patted her on the back. "It will never be completely over," she said looking up and the man. "Don't you understand? I still love him. I have his child inside me. I can't just walk away from this and find some other guy and pretend none of this ever happened. Elliot is always going to be in my life."

"Ma'am, trust me on this. You are much better to try and move on. If the two of you were really in love, we wouldn't be sitting here right now."

He picked up his briefcase and walked out of the room.

The next three days were hard on Olivia. She wandered around the apartment in Boxer shorts and one of Elliot's tee shirts. She hadn't seen him since the night they had met with their lawyers about the custody agreement. He had come by and packed some things to take back to the hotel room he now called home.

Elliot had attempted to explain the situation a little better. The woman was an ex-girlfriend. The old friend he had lunch with weeks earlier and forgot to mention was a woman. She was a woman he and Kathy had gone to high school with years before and she had just moved back to New York after her divorce. Elliot had gone on a couple of dates with her in the weeks before their trip to Las Vegas and they had talked about possibly starting to date. Then he and Olivia got married and pregnant and he had pretty much blown her off. Elliot said that she had congratulated him when he told her he was about to be a father again and they had hugged. But then the woman kissed him.

Olivia didn't want to think about any of this. But every time she closed her eyes the scene replayed in her head. She wanted so badly to believe his story. But why had he chosen not to mention that this old friend was a woman? She was hurt and broken hearted and pissed off and couldn't help but feel that if her husband had been happy in the first place he would have never been there alone with another woman. So it seemed that this divorce was the best option.

"Two more days," she whispered as she placed her hand against her belly. It seemed lately as if the baby were depressed about all of this as well. Her once very active infant had only kicked a hand full of times in the last couple of days. "I know baby, I miss daddy too." Olivia rubbed circles on her belly until the baby kicked her hand. "Mommy loves you," she whispered as she kissed her palm and rubbed it against her belly. Olivia sank into her pillow and turned off the light to try and get some sleep.


	11. 11 The Biggest Mistake

_What Happens In Vegas_

_(Chapter Eleven: The Biggest Mistake)_

Olivia was still asleep when she heard the door bell ring. She groaned and raised her head to look up at the clock. It was almost noon. She had tossed and turned nearly all night and hardly gotten any sleep at all. Now she was achy and sore from head to toe and felt horrible.

She climbed from the bed and walked into the living room. She opened the door and stared at Casey.

"Hey honey, how are you doing?"

"Wonderful Case. My life is shit. My marriage has just fallen apart, I am in the process of a divorce I am not even sure that I want and in less than four weeks I am going to have a baby, alone. I am just fucking peachy!"

"Well, I hope at least part of that is just the hormones talking."

"I'm sorry Casey. I just feel so stupid. I never would have thought I would get myself into a situation like this. And worse, it was with Elliot. The man who used to be my best friend. And there is no way that this is not going to damage our friendship. I have screwed this up so bad," Olivia began to cry again. Casey pulled out a chair for her at the dining room table. "And worse I am dragging a baby through this," she sobbed.

"Liv, it's going to be okay. Everything will work out somehow. But right now, you just need to calm down and take it easy. I am going to cook us both some lunch and I will take the rest of the afternoon off and we will just relax together. I don't have to be in court this afternoon and I don't think that you need to be alone right now."

Casey stood up and brought her a glass of water.

"I can't sleep, Casey. I haven't slept more than maybe six hours the entire time he has been gone. I lay in bed, alone and I miss him. And I usually cry until I fall asleep. Then I toss and turn all night. And I wake up feeling almost hung over from crying so much. And I am so achy and sore every where and my back is killing me. I can't relax. Not without Elliot. He is all I think about."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"He says that she is a girl he knew back in high school. They were supposed to start dating before he and I got together and that nothing is going on. I want to believe him Casey, I really do."

"But do you?"

"Casey, we saw him. There with her. He said that he had just told her we were having a baby. That was when they hugged. He admitted to that and he didn't even know we saw that part. He has never lied to me before. Maybe it really was nothing."

"Olivia, your husband had another woman's tongue in his mouth. How could that be nothing?"

"He said that she kissed him. He really didn't know it was going to happen. And be ended it." She exhaled deeply.

"Do you believe him?"

"You saw it too, what do you think?"

"I think that you are in a very tough situation right now. And maybe you need a little more time to think things through. Olivia if you are having any second thoughts as all you probably shouldn't go through with this. At least not so quickly. Take your time. Obviously you still love him or you wouldn't be so torn up about this."

"I don't know, Casey. I do love him. But I am about to have a baby. I just think that we need to get it over with so that I can move on. Have a little time to get my life back in order before the baby comes. I don't want to stay married just to find out ten years from now that he has cheated on me the entire time and now we are dragging our child or children through a messy divorce. I saw what happened to Elliot's kids when he an Kathy split up. I don't want that for my child. I think if it is going to happen, if we split up now and things are like this from the start then the baby wont know the difference. He or she will still have us both. But….this is ridiculous. I am sitting here trying to convince myself that I know what I am doing and the truth is I have no idea. All I know is that I don't want my child to suffer for my mistakes."

"That makes sense. Listen, why don't you go take a nice hot bath and try to relax. Light a few candles and maybe play some relaxing music. I am going to get some food started and I brought ice cream for later. I figured we could just sit around paint each other's nails and just have a girls night. I think you need this."

"Yeah, maybe. It's better than sitting around here thinking about Elliot all night."

Casey laughed. "Go, take a hot relaxing bath. I promise you will feel better."

"Thanks Casey."

"What are friends for?"

Olivia smiled and walked down the hall toward her bathroom. She soaked in the water for a while to try and loosen up her achy muscles, but it was no use. She climbed out and got dressed then joined Casey in the dining room for lunch.

Two hours later they sat on the couch watching television and cracking jokes. Olivia was eating rocky road ice cream out of the container while Casey gave her a pedicure and painted her toenails.

"Thank you for this, Casey."

Casey smiled at her.

"You are welcome, sweetie."

Olivia laughed. "Ugg, I have to pee again. Help me up," Olivia said reaching for Casey's hands.

But as Casey helped her up did Olivia felt a strong pain and doubled over. She put one hand under her belly and the other against the coffee table for support.

"Oh my God, Olivia are you okay?"

"I'll be okay. This happens sometimes. It's just a cramp." She exhaled deeply and stood up slowly as the baby kicked like crazy. "See, all better. You start to have those later in pregnancy. Braxton Hicks. Like little mini contractions. It's normal Casey, besides I still have a few weeks to go before the baby comes."

"Oh, okay." Casey watched cautiously as Olivia walked down the hall toward her bathroom.

A few minutes later she returned holding her hand under her belly again.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I just had another one. The doctor said it is just you body preparing for actual labor."

"Maybe you should sit down for a little while."

"You're probably right." Olivia moved to sit on the couch, as she did she had another pain. This time she felt a hot gush of fluid as it poured down her legs and puddled between her feet on the hard wood floor.

"Oh my God!"

"What?"

"Casey, my water just broke!"

"I thought you said they weren't real contractions!"

"I didn't think they were! Ahhh," Olivia put her hand against her belly and moaned through another contraction. "Can you bring me a towel?"

"A towel?"

"Yes, a towel! I am standing in amniotic fluid and I don't want it to ruin my floor!"

"Liv, honey. Relax. It is a floor."

"We spent almost three thousand dollars on these floors! Now bring me a damn towel!"

"Towel! I'm on it!" Casey ran down the hall and into the bathroom. She returned with a towel and a pair of jogging pants for Olivia. "Okay. The floor is good. See, all better. Now why don't I help you change and I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Yeah," Olivia began to groan again as she had another contraction.

"Do you have a bag packed?"

"No."

"No?"

"Casey I am not due for another three weeks!"

"It's okay. I can come back later and get you whatever you need. Let's just go."

"Camcorder!"

"What?"

"Elliot wants to tape it! Oh God, I have to call Elliot. Should I call him?"

"I'll grab the camcorder then we will go to the hospital and I will call Elliot. You just focus on keeping that baby inside there until we get to the hospital."

The car ride across town seemed to be the longest fifteen blocks either of them had ever traveled.

Casey began to panic and scream at traffic as Olivia's contractions grew longer and closer together.

"Casey! I swear to God I am about to give birth to this baby right here in your car!"

"No, you don't! I just had it detailed! No, no, no! Look, look, right there! The hospital entrance! We're here!"

The emergency room staff got Olivia admitted and the doctor came in to check her right away. Casey stepped out into the hall to try and call Elliot, but was unable to reach him. Next, she called Fin's cell phone and told him to let Elliot know that Olivia was in labor and they were at the hospital.

Casey returned to the room and stood by Olivia's side as they waited to see if Elliot would make it on time. The doctor said that Olivia was too far dilated for him to stop her labor.

Twenty minutes later it was time for Olivia to start pushing. Casey stood by her side and held her hand. Olivia waited as long as she could and tried not to push until Elliot could arrive. But then she could wait no more. There came a point when choosing not to push was not an option and her body was ready to deliver.

The doctor got into position and Olivia began to push. Another thirty minutes passed and the baby began to crown.

Olivia groaned and pushed as Casey held tight to her hand. "We are almost there, Olivia. Just a couple more pushes," she coached.

Olivia began to pant and cry as another contraction came on strong.

"Okay Liv, lets push. One, two, three, push! Good girl," Casey said as the contraction faded out.

"Just a few more big pushes Olivia and your baby will be here," the doctor said. "Okay, here comes another one."

"I'm right here, Liv. Ready. One, two, three, push!" Olivia screamed and pushed and Casey thought her hand would fall off.

"The head is out!" The doctor announced. "I need one more big push!"

Olivia nodded.

"One, two, three, push!" Casey said as Olivia pushed hard and they heard the baby cry.

Olivia fell back against Casey and they were both crying as the nurses carried the baby across the room and wiped it off. They weighed and measured it and wrapped it in a blanket. A few minutes later the doctor carried the baby back to Olivia.

"Olivia, I'd like you to meet your beautiful baby girl." The doctor said handing the newborn to her mother.

"Oh my God Olivia, she is so beautiful." Casey smiled as the baby grunted and stared up at them.

Olivia stared down at her daughter and began to cry. "Where is Elliot? He should have been here," she sobbed as she looked up at Casey.

"I know, sweet heart. And I am sure he would have if he could have. Fin was trying to reach him."

"We need to take the baby and get her checked out. And we need to get mommy settled into her room. I'm going to need you to step out for a few minutes. About fifteen minutes and you can come in and see her in her room," the doctor explained.

"Okay," Casey said looking at him. "I'm gonna go out. And I will try to call Elliot again, okay. I will see you in a few minutes. Congratulations, Olivia. She is perfect." Casey kissed Olivia's forehead and walked out of the delivery room.

In the hall leaned against the door in a blue paper gown and mask stood Elliot, his face still covered in tears.

"You missed it," Casey said as she looked up at him.

"No, Case. I saw everything. My daughter."

"Why didn't you tell her you were in there?"

"I came in just as he said the baby was crowning. I wasn't sure she even wanted me in there and I know she was scared enough. I didn't want to upset her. I have screwed this up so badly. I couldn't not be in the room when my baby was born."

"That is the first thing you have done right in a long time," Casey said as they walked down the hall toward the waiting room full of visitors.

"You have to help me Casey, I can't lose her. I am crazy about her. I love her. She's my wife."

"And where was this realization when some other woman's tongue was in your mouth, Elliot?"

"You don't understand, she kissed me. If I had thought in a thousand years that anything like that ever would have happened I never would have met up with her for lunch. Casey, I swear. Nothing else happened. I love my wife."

"Then fight for her, Elliot! Show her that you love her."

"She wanted the divorce."

"She was afraid and confused and didn't know what else to do. She thinks that her husband isn't happy at home and it running around town kissing around on some long legged blonde. Olivia asked for the divorce because she doesn't think that you want to be married anymore. You need to go in there and talk to her. Otherwise, you are going to lose her. You are about to make the biggest mistake of your life, if you let her get away!"

"You're right," he said as they stood in front of the nursery window.

"Elliot, look at that beautiful little girl. That is your daughter. And unless you only want to be a part of her life every other weekend and on holidays, you need to talk to Olivia and do whatever it takes to make this better. I know she still loves you. And I know that if you both try you can get this back. If it is what you really want."

"I have never wanted anything more in my life."

"Then show her that. She needs you right now. Don't let her down."

The doctor came out to let Casey know that she could go back and see Olivia.

"Why don't you go?" She encouraged Elliot. "I think I can hold these animals off long enough to give you and your wife a little alone time."

"Thanks, Case."

"Congratulations, daddy. She really is beautiful."

Olivia was asleep when Elliot entered the room carrying a vase of pink roses from the gift shop and an over stuffed teddy bear with a big red bow around it's neck. He sat the roses on the ledge next to the window and took a seat beside his wife's bed.

Elliot watched her sleep for a few moments. How could he have possibly considered letting her go? And how could he have ever let it go this far? He had to make it right. He owed it to his wife and baby girl to make them a real family. To give this life together a real chance and show them how much he loved them.

Elliot took Olivia's hand in his and brought it to his lips. As he did her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey beautiful," he said softly leaning in to kiss her forehead.

Olivia stared at him as tears rose in her eyes.

"Did you see your daughter?"

"Casey pointed her out to me in the nursery window. She is perfect. You did really good."

Olivia moved to sit up a little more in the bed so that they could talk.

"Where were you? I waited for you. I waited as long as I could for you to get here, but I had to push." She was crying again. "I wanted so bad for you to be here."

"Liv," he said softly wiping her tears, "I was here. I walked in as the doctor said the baby was crowning. But I wasn't sure if you wanted me in here. I stood across the room and counted with you. And I cried when I heard her cry. Baby, I am so sorry about everything. But Olivia, I swear to you nothing happened." Elliot stared deep into her eyes.

"I believe you. And Elliot," she started as she began to cry again, "I don't want a divorce."

"No?"

"No. I just didn't know what else to do. I don't want to fight. I just want things to be back to normal. I want us to be happy. I thought that you wanted something else. That you wanted to be with someone else. So I walked away."

"I never should have let you do that. I should have stopped you then and told you how much I loved you and that I didn't want to be without you. But you took your rings off and said you wanted out. Olivia, I love you. And if you think you could look past me being a big jerk these last few days and give me another chance, then I would like to prove to you that I can be a good husband and father."

"I know you can, Elliot. You are."

Just then the nurse brought the baby girl and handed her to Olivia. She smoothed her finger tip over the baby's dark hair and down her little cheeks.

"She's three weeks early, but the doctor says she is healthy."

"Thank God," Elliot said as he watched his wife bond with their daughter.

"Would you like to hold your daughter?" Olivia asked offering him the baby.

Elliot took the baby and held her in his arms. "We have a little girl," he said softly as he leaned in to kiss Olivia tenderly. "And she has your nose and your hands. Liv, she looks so much like you."

"She has your eyes," Olivia said softly.

"She still needs a name, you know?"

"Yeah. I was busy pushing and didn't think that far ahead. I wanted to talk to you first. I thought her daddy should help name her."

"I like Ava."

"Ava? That's pretty. But what goes with Ava?"

"What about Ava Olivia?"

"Elliot, I really don't want to name her after me."

"No?"

Olivia winced and shook her head. "Does she look like an Ava?"

"What about Emma?"

"Not Emma."

"Ummm, Chloe?"

"I like Chloe. No, El. I love Chloe."

"Chloe Stabler."

"Chloe…we need a middle name. Chloe Danielle Stabler?"

"That is beautiful."

"Does it fit her?"

"It's a big name for such a little baby." Elliot turned the baby around and held her up to get a better look at her. She opened her eyes and yawned and grunted as she sucked on her little fist.

"She's hungry."

"She does look like a Chloe Danielle. I think it fits her well. A pretty name for a pretty baby." He raised the baby up next to his cheek. "Hi there, Chloe."

She stirred a little and grunted in his arms.

"I think she likes it, Liv."

"Chloe Danielle, it is. I should feed her, before she gets fussy."

"You want me to step out and give you a little time."

"No, you can stay. We attempted this earlier and it didn't go over so well. She didn't want to latch on. The nurse said she would when she was hungry. And I read in one of my books that a baby sucks on it's fist when it is hungry." Olivia took a deep breath and positioned the baby for a second attempt at breast feeding.

"Maybe you're not holding her right."

"This is the way the nurse showed me to hold her. There, see? She's doing it."

"Good girl. She is so precious," Elliot said rubbing his finger through the little tuft of dark hair on the little girl's head.

"Yeah, she is. I love you," Olivia whispered looking up at Elliot.

"I love you. Both of you. Did he say what she weighed?"

"Five pounds, six and a half ounces."

"That seems so tiny compared to the other kids."

"Yeah, El. But she was three weeks early. And the doctor said everything seems fine. As long as she is able to hold her body temperature and she eats okay we should be able to go home tomorrow afternoon."

"That's great."

"I was thinking, maybe we could all go home together. You need to be there when we bring her home. I want you to move your things back in. I want us to do this together," she said lacing her fingers in his.

"So do I."

Just then Elliot's phone beeped to let him know he had a text message. He picked up the phone to read the text as Olivia burped the baby. Moments later Chloe had settled against Olivia's chest nestling her little forehead in against her mother's neck.

"Casey said the kids are all here. Everyone wants to know if it is okay to come back and see the baby?"

Olivia kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Sure."

"I'll let her know."

That evening, Elliot slept in the chair beside Olivia's bed and their brand new baby girl slept in the nursery down the hall. Elliot though about what a lucky man he was. He had what some men search their entire lives for and never find. The love of a good woman and a beautiful family. Before he closed his eyes to try and get some sleep, he thanked God for bringing them both to him.


	12. 12 Until The End Of Time

_**What Happens In Vegas**_

_**(Chapter Twelve: Until The End Of Time)**_

**Olivia walked around the living room cradling her tiny daughter against her chest. She swayed gently back and forth as she hummed softly to the baby. Elliot stood in the kitchen cooking dinner. This was only their second night home with Chloe and he was determined to make this transition as smooth as possible for Olivia and the new baby.**

"**Dinner is ready, babe."**

"**I'll be in in a minute. She is a little restless. She isn't quite used to the bassinette or her seat and if I put her down right now she is going to start screaming."**

"**Let me take her for a little while. You come eat while it is still hot."**

"**It's okay. I love holding her. It is still so hard to believe that she is ours. You know? You and I. That we created this tiny, perfect, little person. Look at her, Elliot. Is she not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?"**

"**Yeah, she is." Elliot took his daughter and stared into Olivia's eyes. "I love you."**

"**I love you, too."**

"**You get something to eat. I'm gonna go change her and see if I can get her to sleep."**

"**Well, good luck with that."**

"**Hey, I used to be pretty good at this. Of course, I have just gotten back into practice with Eli."**

"**El, it has been two and a half years since Eli was her size."**

"**Liv, Eli weighed over eight pounds when he was born. He was never her size. She has to be exhausted. Babies her age sleep like twenty hours a day."**

"**Face it Elliot, our child is an insomniac. We will never sleep again."**

"**We can do this. She just had a rough night, mommy."**

**Olivia smiled at him. She loved watching him as he interacted with Chloe.**

"**Mommy had a rough night, too. Somebody woke me up every half hour convinced it was time to eat. Then she didn't want to nurse once I got up with her. She just wanted to be held and talked to. If this keeps up I am going to talk to the pediatrician. She should be sleeping more than this. And she isn't nursing nearly as much as she should be."**

**Elliot smiled. "I think you worry too much."**

"**Elliot, this is our daughter's health we are talking about."**

"**I know, I know. Liv, I just think we should give her a little time. She isn't used to any of this. Sometimes it takes newborns a little while to get used to everything. She'll come around. You can call the doctor if you want, honey. But as long as she isn't losing any weight, running fever or getting dehydrated I really don't think we have anything to worry about."**

**Olivia caressed her fingertip over the baby's cheek and kissed the top of her head. "I still want to call, El. I just worry about her. It may seem silly to you. But she and I are both new at this. And I don't want to make a mistake that she ends up paying for."**

**Elliot smiled again and kissed his wife. "I love you so much," he said with a chuckle.**

**Olivia glared at him and took Chloe from his arms. "You think I'm a bad mother? Because I don't know what is wrong with her."**

"**Not at all. Infact, I think this is what makes you such a good mother. You are supposed to worry about your kids, Liv. And I'm wrong to doubt your judgment. You're her mother, you have instincts about these things."**

"**You think I'm a good mother?"**

"**I think you are a wonderful mother."**

**Olivia smiled. "Thank you, El. I know that I don't know as much about having babies as you do. Actually, I don't know anything about having a baby. And I am probably going to make a lot of mistakes. But it means a lot that I have your support in this."**

"**Of course you have my support."**

"**I know. I mean, it means a lot that you really think that I can do this."**

"**I have never doubted that. I have always known you would be an amazing mother some day. I just happen to be the guy lucky enough to share this amazing little girl with you."**

"**You really think she will be okay?"**

"**I do. But, it couldn't hurt to call the doctor just in case."**

**Olivia smiled at him and kissed the top of Chloe's head. She carried the baby into the nursery to call the doctor.**

**That night Olivia paced the floor of their bedroom as she held Chloe against her chest and hummed to her. The baby stirred a little but didn't cry as she nestled her little face against her mother's breast. She grunted and looked wide eyed up at Olivia, who smiled down at the baby.**

"**It's time to go to sleep now angel," Olivia whispered as the baby yawned and grunted some more. Olivia laid the baby in the bassinette and wound the mobile. She looked down over Chloe and watched as she grunted and stirred around a little then quickly fell asleep.**

**Olivia smiled as she felt Elliot's arms slip around her waist and he placed a kiss on the side of her neck.**

"**You're a miracle worker. How'd you do it?"**

"**I got a few tips from the pediatrician."**

"**What did he say?"**

**Olivia smiled again. "The same thing you said. She just needs a little time to adjust to life outside the womb. He suggested a warm bath and massaging her with baby lotion to relax her. He said to sit with her and nurse her. And to put her into the bassinette before she fell asleep."**

"**Before she fell asleep?"**

"**Yeah, he said to set a routine. And try to stick to it. Now is the best time for her to learn it, while she is still adjusting to everything. And by putting her in the bassinette before she falls asleep, we prevent her from getting into the habit of falling asleep while being held. He also said that a lot of babies that fall asleep while nursing or being bottle fed, develop a dependency on that. It makes it harder to break them of it later down the road."**

"**So you start her on the routine early and give her things she can be dependant on, like the mobile." **

**Elliot wrapped his arms tight around her as he kissed her tenderly. Olivia smiled and laughed as he moved to kiss that place on her neck, the one that made her weak in the knees. Olivia moaned softly as he moved his hands firmly over her shoulders working out the tension he found in the muscles there.**

**He pulled her back against his chest as he smoothed his hands up her body and nibbled on her ear seductively. Elliot turned her around and kissed her passionately as he moved his hands over the curves of her body. He guided her backward toward their bed.**

"**Elliot," she whispered softly fighting off another moan.**

"**What baby?" He asked as he slid his fingers down and locked them in hers.**

"**El, I can't." She broke their kiss as she arms rested around his neck and gazed into his eyes.**

"**I know."**

"**Then why are you…"**

"**It has been so long since I touched you, since I even kissed you. I missed you so much."**

**Elliot laid her gently on the bed and turned out the light. He kissed her tenderly as he slid his thumb along her jaw line and stared deep into her eyes.**

"**Baby," she tried to protest as kissed across her collarbone.**

**Elliot stopped for a moment and stared at her under him. He watched as the moonlight through the window sparkled in her eyes. Elliot slid his hand gently up her neck and combed his fingers through her hair as he kissed her. **

"**Elliot, what are you doing?" She moaned trailing her fingers up and down his strong arm. **

"**There are ways to make love to you wife without the sex." **

**Olivia looked confused.**

"**I can still kiss you and touch you and hold you. I have not even done that in weeks. I love you, Olivia. More than anything in the world. My wife and my kids. You guys are my life. You are the only one for me. I want you to know that. I need you to believe it," he whispered softly against her ear.**

"**I believe you. I'm not sure I ever really believed otherwise. I was just confused and afraid. I wanted to believe you, Elliot. But lets face it, this wasn't exactly the way either of us thought our lives were going to turn out. I guess part of me just thought that maybe you just wanted something different."**

"**Liv, I was married to Kathy for over twenty years and I never once cheated on her. How could you possibly think that I would cheat on you?"**

"**I don't know. I guess because you had been married for so long. Over twenty years and you're single for six months. Then we go to Vegas. You come home with a wife. The day we go to court to finalize the divorce so you can have your life back, you find out you are also going to be a father. So you did the responsible thing, Elliot. Like you always do. Like you did before and was trapped and felt guilted to stay for your family. Even when the love was gone, you stayed. Elliot, I didn't want to be responsible for making you feel like that. You were miserable the last several years of your marriage with Kathy. I never want to make you feel that way."**

"**Olivia, you never could. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Maybe our relationship is a little unconventional. But that does not mean for a second that I don't love you or want to be with you. I have loved you from the first second I met you. And that love grows stronger every day. And that baby over there, she is the proof. I am committed to you, to my wife and to my family. And I never want you to ever feel like you have a reason to worry about anything like this ever again. You are my best friend, Olivia. My best friend and my wife and the mother of my beautiful daughter and I love you more than life itself. And I promise you that I will always love you and always be faithful. I want to be with you and only you for the rest of my life."**

**Olivia smiled through her tears. "That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."**

"**It's true. All of it."**

"**I know. That is what makes it so sweet. I feel exactly the same way. I never want to be with anyone ever again. Only you for the rest of my life. Elliot, I may not have been exactly sober the night we said our vows. I honestly don't even remember what they were to be completely honest. But I meant every word. And I intend to honor the promise I made to you when I agreed to be your wife. I want to be a good wife and a good mother."**

"**You're off to a good start," he said placing a soft kiss on her lips.**

**Olivia smiled as Elliot wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.**

"**You know in about twenty minutes Chloe is going to wake up and want to be fed again?"**

"**I know. Baby, it is going to be like this for at least the first three or four months until she learns to sleep through the night."**

"**Yeah. It's going to be a long three or four months."**

"**Yes, but they are going to be an amazing three or four months."**

"**Yeah," Olivia said with a smile as she kissed her husband. "And I can't wait to spend the next hundred years raising babies with you."**

"**You mean after going through all of that, you are going to let me touch you again?"**

"**If you're lucky."**

"**Oh, I'm lucky. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here right now. In bed holding my beautiful wife with our gorgeous newborn daughter asleep in the bassinette across the room. There is no doubt in my mind how lucky I am. I love you, Olivia. And I will love you until the end of time." **

"**I love you too, Elliot."**

**And with that they fell asleep in each other's arms, trying to get some sleep before little Chloe woke up again.**


End file.
